A surfer traverses a large wave.

Book Self-Catering Holiday Cottages For Active Holidays

Scroll down to find a choice of self-catering cottages suitable for those seeking an active holiday involving sporting or outdoor pursuits. Whether walking in England, climbing mountains in Scotland, riding rapids or zip wires in Wales, the holiday cottages listed here will be near an attractive choice of activities to enjoy in the great outdoors. Many activity cottages will offer on-site facilities such as fishing, swimming pools and tennis courts or will be surrounded by long, bracing walks in the country or along the miles of scenic coastal footpaths. 

Click on the preview description of any cottage to view its main page.

The 3-storey gable end seen through trees of a Cumbrian stone-barn conversion.
Sleeps
7
Bedrooms
3

Ideally situated in the South Lakeland District to explore this gorgeous region, 5 The Granary on the outskirts of Kendal, Cumbria, is a beautiful child-friendly cottage converted from a grain store to a gorgeous three-storey holiday home with an enclosed courtyard, garden and three cosy bedrooms.

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An isolated Pennine farm house is surrounded by empty moorland.
Sleeps
12
Bedrooms
5

Get away from the bustle of everyday life with a stay at The Retreat, a remote countryside cottage at the head of an unspoilt valley high above the Pennine market town of Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, boasting biomass-fired underfloor heating, three wood-burners, hot tub, and five bedrooms.

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A Cumbria holiday cottage at the foot of a hill surrounded by fields and mature trees
Sleeps
18
Bedrooms
8

A traditional Cumbrian farm converted to a large and comfortable Lake District holiday cottage for groups or sizable families. This pet-friendly cottage in Staveley sleeps 18 guests in 8 bedrooms with glorious views across the Lake District Fells near Lake Windermere.

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The exterior of a small terrace of thatched cottages overlooks a quiet North Devon village street.
Sleeps
3
Bedrooms
2

Cosy Nook is a gorgeous Grade II-listed holiday cottage in North Molton dating back 500 years. The thatched-roof cottage welcomes pets and sleeps three people. It features an inglenook fireplace, exposed beams, a raised, furnished garden, rural charm, and access to the coast and Exmoor National Park.

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L-shaped exterior of a country cottage with a lawn surrounded by flowering shrubs and bushes.
Sleeps
6
Bedrooms
3

Church Farm is a rustic stone-built holiday cottage in Stoke Pero, a small village in the Exmoor National Park. The pet-friendly holiday home sleeps four and offers views of rolling hills, a furnished garden, an interior with exposed beams, antique and hunting décor, Laura Ashley linen, and a cosy wood-burning stove.

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Exterior of a semi-detached thatched cottage overlooking a lawned garden.
Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
2

Blueberry Cottage in Old Cleeve makes the perfect holiday home for exploring the Exmoor coast. This 16th-century Somerset coastal cottage near the national park and Minehead Beach has two bedrooms upstairs, a thatched roof, low doorways, beamed ceilings, and a pretty cottage garden.

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A long-two-storey stone-built cottage with overlooks a large tree-lined courtyard
Sleeps
8
Bedrooms
4

Lower Mill lies between Exmoor and The Quantock Hills near Bicknoller in Somerset. It's a luxurious rural holiday cottage created in an old mill sleeping eight. It boasts a stone exterior, beautiful views, true elegance, delightful furnished gardens and an interior with an open-plan design, natural light and a wood-burning stove.

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A brick house overlooks a large lawn with flower-filled borders
Sleeps
7
Bedrooms
4

Jacob’s Pond is a sophisticated rural cottage on the edge of Exmoor National Park near Monksilver in Somerset. The semi-detached cottage sleeps 7 in spacious rooms. It boasts a beautiful mature garden with multiple furnished areas, fantastic views, a conservatory, elegance, and a log fire.

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.3-storey exterior of a Great Yarmouth townhouse
Sleeps
18
Bedrooms
12

Clover Court is a large coastal cottage in Great Yarmouth set moments from sandy beaches in Norfolk. The pet-friendly cottage boasts bay windows and spacious, contemporary rooms, attracting natural light and the calming sea breeze. The attractions of the seaside town are just a short walk away.

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Activity holidays don't need to involve knuckle experiences. For families with young children or those preferring a 'healthy holiday' without the risk of injury, consider hiring bicycles to explore a Sustrans Cycle route or a cycle path such as the Tarka Trail in North Devon or The Bonsal Trail in Derbyshire. To ensure that a holiday cottage has precisely what you are looking for, e.g. an outdoor shower for washing the salt of wetsuits and surfboards, use the Visit Website button to go to a cottage's website for further information. Alternatively, e-mail or phone the owners directly to check that what you want to do on holiday is precisely the activity accessible at the cottage.