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.

A 2-story house with summer houses is surrounded by open countryside.
Sleeps
8
Bedrooms
4

Welcome to Long Ing Farm, a charming large holiday home in Holmfirth, on the owner's working farm close to the breathtaking Peak District National Park. This stone-built detached Holmfirth holiday cottage is a treasure trove of character, featuring exposed beams, open eaves, and traditional furnishings that lend a warm and welcoming ambience.

  • Active Holidays
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  • Cottages with Car Chargers
  • Cottages with Hot Tubs
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
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  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
A gable end with floor to roof windows overlooks a lawn with a deck.
Sleeps
8
Bedrooms
3

Betony is a chic coastal cottage surrounded by green hills and fresh air. Sitting just outside Bamburgh, the pet-friendly cottage boasts views of Bamburgh Castle, a spacious outdoor entertaining area, ample windows, natural light, sleek finishes, and access to the Northumberland coast.

  • Active Holidays
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  • Short Breaks
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Stone-built bungalow exterior overlooking a paved courtyard in Robin Hoods bay
Sleeps
2
Bedrooms
1

Abbey View Cottage is a charming stone-built barn conversion on a working coastal farm near Robin Hood’s Bay, which offers couples the peace and seclusion of a romantic cottage. The pet-friendly holiday home provides beautiful views across farmland to Whitby Abbey and proximity to the North York Moors.

  • Active Holidays
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  • Short Breaks
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  • Walking Holidays
A siingle-storey stone-built cottage with French windows opening onto a paved courtyard.
Sleeps
2
Bedrooms
1

Holly Cottage, near the historic market town of Alnwick, is one of three countryside cottages in Northumberland that make up the Alndyke Farm Cottages property, a romantic retreat featuring a fully fitted country kitchen, a sitting area with an Inglenook fireplace, private patio, and super-king bedroom.

  • Active Holidays
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A converted 3-storey mill building overlooking lawns and a lake.
Sleeps
6
Bedrooms
3

Guests at Bay View can while away the days soaking up the sea views from this luxury waterside apartment near Bamburgh Castle. The former Norman grain mill welcomes families and groups with three bedrooms of bright, coastal décor and high-end amenities.

  • Active Holidays
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  • Luxury Holiday Cottages
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  • Waterside Cottages
Exterior of a modern semi-detached with an overhead porch and front lawn.
Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
2

Located in a quiet cul-de-sac at the edge of the attractive town of Beadnell, Bay View is a first-floor Northumberland holiday apartment that makes the perfect holiday home on the North East coast with an outdoor wood-decked balcony overlooking sandy beaches and the North Sea.

  • Active Holidays
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  • Short Breaks
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  • Walking Holidays
A stone, Cumbrian barn conversion in with a sheltered terrace overlooks a large parking space.
Sleeps
8
Bedrooms
4

Riven Oak is situated amidst the beautiful Lake District near the village of Levens, Cumbria; a large two-storey pet-friendly holiday cottage with beamed ceilings, a master king with en-suite shower among four ground-floor bedrooms, and open-plan living space with a wood-burning stove and Freesat TV.

  • Active Holidays
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  • Cycling Holidays
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Large Holiday Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
far-reaching view of boating marinas on the Dart Estuary
Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
2

Rose Cottage in South Devon, sleeps 4 in 2 bedrooms with truly spectacular panoramic views over the Dart Esturary Darthaven Marina, the Britannia Royal Naval College and upstream towards Dittisham. The stone holiday cottage was built in 1880 in a sought after position, A great, peaceful location on the English Riviera close to South Devon beaches.

  • Active Holidays
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  • Fishing Holidays
  • Independent Cottages
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  • Short Breaks
  • Small Cottages
A 3-storey Georgian house with sash windows.
Sleeps
14
Bedrooms
7

The Mill Manager’s House is an elegant Grade I-listed holiday cottage in the Cromford Mills UNESCO World Heritage Site of Cromford. Surrounded by the Peak District & Derbyshire Dales, the stunning rural property boasts wooden floors, an open fire, original windows and shutters, modernity & an ample garden.

  • Accessible By Train
  • Active Holidays
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Large Holiday 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.