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.

Exterior of a semi-detached, stone-built Alnwick barn conversion
Sleeps
2
Bedrooms
1

The upside-down design of Jenny’s Cottage in Alnmouth affords couples magnificent views of the Northumberland region from its first-floor living area. Views of the working farm and the ocean ensure romance and relaxation at this cosy rural retreat replete with touches of luxury and elegance.

  • Accessible By Train
  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Farm Cottages
  • Romantic Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Small Cottages
  • Walking Holidays
Exterior of a stone-built Cotswold country house surrounded by trees and parkland.
Sleeps
6
Bedrooms
3

Deery Me is a luxurious rural holiday cottage in Oxfordshire set amid Blenheim Palace Park in Woodstock. Within easy reach of Oxford and the Cotswolds, the gorgeous 3-bedroom, pet-friendly cottage rests on the banks of the River Glyme within beautiful grounds and offers lovely outdoor areas, a fireplace and style.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Independent Cottages
  • Luxury Holiday Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
  • Waterside Cottages
Paved path to a front door through a shrub-filled garden and a lawn.
Sleeps
2
Bedrooms
1

The Granary is a charming holiday cottage for couples on a quiet Suffolk farm in Thorndon. It features oak beam ceilings throughout, a cosy wood fire, and a large bedroom with a super-king bed and an ensuite bathroom. Its beautiful decor and tranquil rural setting make it ideal for a perfect romantic break.

  • Active Holidays
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Farm Cottages
  • Romantic Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Small Cottages
  • Walking Holidays
Exeterior of a 3 storey stone-built farm house with glass-walled conservatory.
Sleeps
10
Bedrooms
5

Lower Farmhouse is a charming Cotswold stone farmhouse situated on a working farm located outside Moreton-in-Marsh in Gloucestershire. The rural cottage features many traditional elements, including an inglenook fireplace and exposed beams, and offers sun-drenched gardens that provide seclusion and relaxation.

 

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Farm Cottages
  • Large Holiday Cottages
  • Luxury Holiday Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
Gable end of a wooden eco-lodge in an orchard setting.
Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
2

Orchard Cottage is a beautiful timber-clad holiday cottage in Ledbury, Herefordshire, surrounded by lush green countryside. The pet-friendly cottage enjoys wonderful views and offers a sun-drenched deck, generous grounds, light and airy open-plan spaces, an outdoor games area and the chance to truly relax.

  • Accessible By Train
  • Accessible Cottages
  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Eco Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Small Cottages
  • Walking Holidays
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.

  • Accessible By Train
  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Large Holiday Cottages
  • Luxury Holiday Cottages
  • Remote Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
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.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Farm Cottages
  • Large Holiday Cottages
  • Remote Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
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.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Romantic Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
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.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Farm Cottages
  • Remote Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays

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.