A surfer traverses a large wave. Find holiday cottages for active holidays in the open air.

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.

A glimpse of the rooftop and 1st floor of a country cottage surrounded by woods and fields.
Sleeps
8
Bedrooms
3

Endless Esther is a characterful eco-friendly cottage nestled among nature near Hewelsfield Common in Gloucestershire. The pet-friendly cottage boasts upcycled materials and features a generous garden, a courtyard with hammocks, exposed stone walls and beams, a log fire, and a sauna.

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Double-fronted cottage exterior overlooks a quiet village street.
Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
2

Syms Cottage is a characterful rural holiday cottage in Cutcombe which boasts wide-reaching views of the Somerset countryside and an inglenook fireplace with wood burning stove and bread oven. The pet-friendly Exmoor holiday cottage blends contemporary style with country charm and offers walks direct from its front door.

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A 2-storey barn conversion with a courtyard and far-reaching rural views
Sleeps
7
Bedrooms
3

The Loft is a gorgeous Grade-II listed detached Peak District holiday cottage set in the open countryside near Millthorpe. Oozing tradition and charm, the pet-friendly cottage boasts stonework and original beams, a billiard table and hot tub, and style and serenity.

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Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
2

Diamond Cottage is ideally situated in beautiful Chipping Campden, within walking distance of shops, restaurants and pubs, perfect for those looking for some seriously indulgent time away from home.

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An end-terrace stone-built Gwynedd holiday cottage with a paved, secure front patio.
Sleeps
3
Bedrooms
1

Rural and delightfully remote, Cwm Yr Afon Cottage is located on a sheep farm. This beautifully renovated rural cottage in the North Wales countryside is a small, romantic retreat in Snowdonia. Dog-friendly and child-friendly. Sleeps 3.

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A coach house conversion with tall trees behind and a lawn in front.
Sleeps
5
Bedrooms
3

The Coach House is an authentic rural holiday cottage in Gloucestershire on the beautiful grounds of a Grade II-listed 16th-century Old Rectory. The cottage in the little Cotswold village of Hawling near Cheltenham dates back to the 14th century and boasts stunning views over meadows, an open fire, luxurious décor and perfectly located for walking holidays in the Cotswold Hills.

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A bungalow with double French Windows on to a patio and a lawn ringed by trees.
Sleeps
2
Bedrooms
1

Hunter Cottage is a newly-built romantic holiday cottage in the Cotswolds offering sophistication and seclusion in Clanfield. Set in a lovely corner of the Cotswold National Park, the contemporary rural cottage boasts views of surrounding fields, an orchard from its ample gardens, and an airy and elegant interior.

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A two-storey Shropshire barn conversion with arched floor-to-ceiling ground floor windows.
Sleeps
6
Bedrooms
3

One of two delightfully renovated 18th century Grade II-listed barn conversions on a 22-acre smallholding near the medieval town of Shrewsbury, Shropshire, The Wainscott is a rural holiday cottage that offers an escape from everyday life, with access to a fishing pond and hard tennis court.

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Sleeps
16
Bedrooms
7

This large Welsh holiday cottage in Llanberis stands in the heart of the Snowdonia National Park, Sleeping 16, Halford Hill welcomes groups and large families (and their pets) for self-catering holidays exploring, walking or cycling in the North Wales countryside.

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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 direct to check that what you want to do on holiday is precisely the activity accessible at the cottage.