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.

Gable end of a 2-storey pennine holiday cottage overlooking a country lane
Sleeps
2
Bedrooms
1

Underbank Hall Cottage is a romantic cottage for couples in a secluded rural location with breathtaking views of the valleys and hills between The Peak District and The Pennines in Stocksbridge, but still within easy reach of the fleshpots of Sheffield. Pets welcome.

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Front entrance and patio to  Praa-Sands holiday cottage fronted by a palm tree and shrubs.
Sleeps
2
Bedrooms
1

Lighthouse is a true beachside getaway. The romantic holiday cottage on the shores of Praa Sands in Cornwall offers couples a cosy, light-filled escape with vibrant design features and impressive furnishings. The four-poster bed adds a touch of luxury, and the open-plan space enjoys ample windows.

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Exterior of asemi-detached restored fisherman's cottage with a paved courtyard in Appledore.
Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
2

The Retreat is a charming North Devon holiday cottage in Appledore. The pet-friendly cottage offers an enviable waterside location, a spacious garden, exposed beams and sash windows, and a fantastic base for memorable seaside holidays.

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2-storey exterior of. stone-built barn conversion overlooking a paved terrace and a lawn
Sleeps
2
Bedrooms
1

Harvest Cottage welcomes couples to a pretty stone and pantiled farm cottage near Pickering in the heart of picturesque Levisham. The pet-friendly, one-bedroom barn conversion offers ample gardens and peace and quiet. It is an ideal base for exploring the North York Moors and coast.

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A classic country house with a row of five windows overlooks a shrub0filled garden lined by wrought iron railings.
Sleeps
12
Bedrooms
6

Flanders Hall is a large and impressive Grade II listed Georgian country house in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales in West Burton. This pet-friendly holiday home in secluded rural surroundings is perfect for large family holidays or a get-together with friends in the great outdoors.

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Large lawns surround a ground-floor barn conversion in remote, open Northumberland countryside
Sleeps
6
Bedrooms
3

This beautiful 3-bedroom Northumberland holiday cottage in the Cheviot Hills lies in the stunning Northumberland countryside just outside the village of Akeld near Wooler in the Northumberland National Park. The cottage is lovingly decorated and perfect for walking holidays in Northumberland.

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A U-shaped, stone barn conversion with floor-to-ceeiing windows looks out over a large shingled courtyard.
Sleeps
7
Bedrooms
3

A family- and pet-friendly country getaway near Ravensworth in the Yorkshire Dales, this 3-bedroom pet-friendly barn conversion on a working farm sleeps 7, Convenient to local market villages, Larklands balances rustic and new in one stylish rural retreat in North Yorkshire.

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An extended 2-storey Scottish barn conversion with one wall lined by roses
Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
2

Knott View sits within a 17th-century Grade II listed barn conversion on a working farm near Sedburgh in Cumbria. It lies between the Yorkshire Dales and The Lake District, offering guests outstanding views and tranquillity within a remote rural location. Sleeps 4.

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A chalet bungalow with a large fenced-in deck is surrounded by open countryside.
Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
2

Creag-na-Sanais is a detached rural cottage on the owner’s working farm outside the village of Laggan near Newtonmore in the Northern Highlands. It is close to cycling trails and ski fields and offers guests modern accommodation in a cottage boasting sun-drenched living areas and an open fire.

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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.