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.

Large, thatched Dorset Farmhouse overlooking a courtyard.
Sleeps
8
Bedrooms
4

Manor Farmhouse is a thatched and beautifully presented country cottage near Maiden Newton, sleeping eight in four bedrooms with expansive rural views and river frontage, situated in a peaceful and idyllic location.

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Large cottage with balcony and floor-to-ceiling French windows in Padstow.
Sleeps
8
Bedrooms
4

Spectacular views of Treyarnon Bay greet guests at Trewalder, a stunning coastal cottage on the Cornish coast. The pet-friendly cottage sits above the beautiful beach and the gorgeous gardens catch the sea breeze, while the interior boasts ample windows, contemporary elegance and a wood burner.

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A half-timbered and thatched Tudor Cotswold cottage and garden.
Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
2

Corner Thatch is a stunning chocolate box holiday cottage in Abbots Morton from the 17th century. The former post office is a Grade II listed property boasting a thatched roof and black and white half-timbered charm, traditional features, delightful gardens and access to Worcestershire.

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Kitchen worktops and dining table in a Norfolk cottage with oak-beamed ceilings.
Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
2

Stockman’s Cottage is a delightfully sophisticated rural cottage featured in Country Living Magazine. The pet-friendly holiday cottage near Derham, Norfolk, promises a gorgeous garden, fresh air, exposed beams, an inglenook fireplace with a wood burner, and contemporary style and rural seclusion.

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A semi-detached Cotswold honeystone cottage with wisteria-clad walls
Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
2

Stripped pine doors and flagstone floors add character to Corner Cottage, a traditional Cotswold stone holiday cottage in Lower Oddington, a quaint Gloucestershire village. The rural cottage exudes charm and boasts modern sophistication, a woodburner in an inglenook fireplace, and a lovely garden.

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A stone-built Dorset cottage overlooks a lawn and rose beds.
Sleeps
6
Bedrooms
3

Evergreen is a historic cobb cottage from 1860 surrounded by the free-roaming section of a national park. The charming rural cottage in Bransgore sits among the Dorset countryside and coast and offers tranquillity and beautiful views, plus luxurious furnishings, contemporary design and seclusion.

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Exterior of a double-fronted Cotwolds honey-stone cottage
Sleeps
5
Bedrooms
3

Charming Alysas Cottage sits on the grounds of a mixed working farm just outside the West Oxfordshire market town of Chipping Norton; a wonderful three-bedroom child-friendly cottage in the Cotswolds, it has been refurbished to a high standard while retaining original features such as oak doors and lofty beamed ceilings.

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Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
2

Bakers Farm Oast is a stunningly authentic detached rural cottage in the High Weald AONB in Ticehurst. Set on the Sussex/Kent border, the rural cottage sleeps four and offers contemporary chic and country charm, a delightful private garden, local wildlife, lovely views, and a wood-burning stove.

 

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A contemporary wooden holiday lodge in Est Devon overlooking a large walled lawn.
Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
2

Urban chic meets traditional charm at The Shippen, a delightful East Devon country cottage in Membury with beautiful views of an AONB. The pet-friendly cottage offers a generous, sun-lit, open-plan living space, a wood burner, double-height bedrooms, beautiful gardens and access to the coast.

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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.