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 stone-built, barn conversion in the Peak District.
Sleeps
2
Bedrooms
1

Moor Cottage at Endmoor Farm is a luxury holiday cottage for couples of all ages seeking a romantic rural retreat within the Derbyshire Peak District. Endmoor is a working farm between Bakewell and Buxton, and Moor Cottage sleeps 2 in a high-quality barn conversion. Pets welcome.

  • Active Holidays
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2-storey1930s holiday cottage in Lymington
Sleeps
6
Bedrooms
3

Sitting just minutes from the beach in Keyhaven is Simple Truths, a stylish coastal cottage with sunny open-plan spaces, a generous lawned garden and urban chic. The pet-friendly cottage in Hampshire enjoys a quiet location in this lovely hamlet and boasts an outdoor seating area with BBQ and Tee-Pee.

  • Active Holidays
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  • Coastal Cottages
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  • Luxury Holiday Cottages
Sleeps
2
Bedrooms
1

Little Lamb is a lovely shepherd’s hut near the historic market town of Faringdon, Oxfordshire, a small romantic, rural retreat for couples amidst the picturesque Cotswolds. The compact and cosy eco-friendly holiday property provides a spacious feel, with a fully equipped kitchen, walk-in shower, and king-size bed.

  • Active Holidays
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Exterior of a thatched 2-storey village holiday cottage in the Cotswolds.
Sleeps
2
Bedrooms
1

Mrs Daffodil is a romantic thatched rural cottage in the Cotswolds with a honeystone exterior. The pet-friendly holiday home in Kemble enjoys serenity and countryside views and promises original features such as oak beams, flagstone floors, vaulted ceilings, an inglenook fireplace, and real fire.

  • Active Holidays
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  • Walking Holidays
Exterior of a honey-coloured Cotswold holiday cottage with a spacious lawn with topiary.
Sleeps
2
Bedrooms
1

The Little House is a cute romantic cottage in the Cotswolds, boasting unique features. The luxury holiday cottage for couples in Stroud epitomises rustic chic. It offers a beautiful garden with a tipi, spa bath & views of the Cotswolds, while the interior features a fireplace with an open fire.

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Exterior of a terraced Cotswold holiday cottage overlooking a village street.
Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
1

The Cotswold Cedar is a sophisticated and romantic 2-bedroom holiday cottage near Painswick set on the grounds of a 16th-century house. The Cotswold stone cottage is gorgeously presented and offers a pleasant sun-trap garden with a furnished deck, bi-fold doors and

open-plan spaces promising total relaxation.

  • Active Holidays
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Exterior of a stone built holiday cottage in Whitby with a flagstoned front garden containing outdoor dining facilities.
Sleeps
8
Bedrooms
4

Steak & Egton is a sophisticated terrace in the delightful Egton village in North Yorkshire. The pet-friendly cottage offers stone walls, a pretty flowering courtyard, an elegant and spacious interior with clawfoot baths, contemporary styling, a secret snug, tiled floors, and a log fire.

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  • Short Breaks
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3 storey exterior of a large modern Shropshire holiday home with outdoor dining facilities and a large laen.
Sleeps
15
Bedrooms
6

This charming Grade II listed Shropshire holiday cottage in Bishop's Castle sleeps 15 in 6 bedrooms in the tranquil Shropshire market town of Bishop's Castle—perfect for countryside walking holidays along the England-Wales border for families or friends. Pets welcome.

  • Active Holidays
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Quayside holiday apartment in Rye overlooks small craft moored to the waterfront at high tide
Sleeps
2
Bedrooms
1

Complete with a breakfast bar and Juliet balcony overlooking the quay of the River Rother, 16 The Boathouse is a romantic waterfront holiday apartment in Rye, affording couples on holiday along the East Sussex coastline the perfect home base to explore this historic port town.

  • Active Holidays
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Short Breaks
  • Small Cottages
  • Walking Holidays
  • Waterside Cottages

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.