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.

Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
2

Owl is a two-bedroom apartment on the ground floor beneath Granary. It has two bedrooms, a double and a twin, and an open-plan living area with a fitted kitchen, lounge, and dining area. The apartment also has a shared indoor heated pool, spa, and sauna. Well-behaved dogs are welcome.

  • Accessible Cottages
  • Active Holidays
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Cottages with Hot Tubs
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Holiday Cottages With a Pool
  • Independent Cottages
  • Small Cottages
A terrace of Somerset cottages and front gardens.
Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
2

Grace Cottage is a characterful 19th-century holiday cottage in Porlock on the West Somerset coast. The stone-built cottage sleeps four and welcomes pets. It offers a suntrap garden, abundant natural light, an open-plan design, a log fire, and easy access to the coast and the Exmoor National Park.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Small Cottages
  • Walking Holidays
Exterior of a New Forest holiday cottage with a brick chimney stack, twin garages and backed by woodland trees.
Sleeps
8
Bedrooms
4

Welcome to Gorselands Cottage, a hidden gem in the enchanting New Forest National Park. Just a stone's throw from the charming village of Burley, this idyllic holiday home boasts a tranquil setting enveloped by lush woodlands and a sprawling, well-kept garden.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Large Holiday Cottages
  • Luxury Holiday Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
Godrevy Lighthouse complex in a clifftop location.
Sleeps
6
Bedrooms
3

Godrevy enjoys unrivalled views from its location atop the cliffs on the southernmost point of mainland Britain. The pet-friendly, seaside cottage in the Lizard Lighthouse offers modern comforts and spectacular views, plus access to coastal walking paths and the beautiful beaches of Cornwall.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Quirky Cottages
Exterior of a grand 3-storey Highland hunting lodge and gardens.
Sleeps
18
Bedrooms
11

Glencarron is a beautiful Victorian shooting lodge near Strathcarron. It can sleep up to 18 in 11 bedrooms. This lovely large holiday home in Inverness-shire enjoys breathtaking views of the Glencarron Estate, which covers over 12,000 acres of the Scottish Highlands. Pets are welcome.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Fishing Holidays
  • Large Holiday Cottages
  • Managed by My Favourite Cottages
  • Remote Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
  • Waterside Cottages
A large, 3-storey detached house built of stone with a 1st floor clad in slates.
Sleeps
8
Bedrooms
4

A newly renovated luxury Cornish holiday cottage full of character and charm is set amidst peaceful countryside. A short drive from Padstow, the Camel Trail, and many North Cornwall beaches, Glebe Cottage sleeps 8 in 4 ensuite bedrooms. It has a delightful garden with a private sunny patio and is dog-friendly.

  • Active Holidays
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Independent Cottages
  • Large Holiday Cottages
  • Luxury Holiday Cottages
  • Walking Holidays
A Norfolk cottage overlooks a spacious lawn and a riverbank with willow trees.
Sleeps
5
Bedrooms
3

Glaven Cottage is a charming Grade II-listed flint cottage on the banks of the River Glaven in Letheringsett. Situated between Norfolk's countryside and coast, the 1870s cottage boasts exposed beams, a wood-burning stove, furnished spaces, rooms with river views, and verdant gardens.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Luxury Holiday Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
  • Waterside Cottages
Exteriorof a large stone-built hall in Cumbria with a large lawn and parking spaces.
Sleeps
8
Bedrooms
4

This Cumbrian longhouse, listed as Grade II, was not used for domestic purposes for several centuries until it was recently restored and won a 5-Star Gold Award. Its historical significance is reflected in its thick sandstone walls, ship beams, timbers, and traditional oak window shutters.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Large Holiday Cottages
  • Luxury Holiday Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
A row of terraced houses look down over a flower-filled rockery to a large lawn.
Sleeps
12
Bedrooms
4

Glan Y Gors is a stone-built cottage sleeping 6 in North Wales, 5 miles outside Llanberis. This wheelchair-accessible and pet-friendly holiday cottage is situated in an elevated rural location opposite Mount Snowdon in the scattered village of Dinorwic.

  • Accessible Cottages
  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • 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.