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 fenced-in outdoor pool on a lawn overlooked by a large holiday cottage.
Sleeps
24
Bedrooms
10

High Cloud is a large and comfortable Wye Valley Farmhouse and separate Barn in Monmouthshire with a swimming pool and hot tub. It offers self-catering holidays in a secluded countryside location—no neighbours or traffic noise, just panoramic, far-reaching rural views. Pets are welcome.

  • Active Holidays
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Cottages With Games Rooms
  • Cottages with Hot Tubs
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Farm Cottages
  • Holiday Cottages With a Pool
  • Independent Cottages
  • Large Holiday Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
Sleeps
20
Bedrooms
8

Woodbank is a large, idyllic holiday cottage in South Wales in beautiful rural surroundings above the River Usk. The holiday cottage in Llanhennock sleeps 20 people in 8 bedrooms with six bathrooms. It is set within twenty acres of private grounds within easy reach of the Brecon Beacons and the South Wales Coast.

  • Active Holidays
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Large Holiday Cottages
  • Remote Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
Exterior of an East Devon coastal cottage with a patio and a well-kept garden.
Sleeps
6
Bedrooms
3

Orchid Cottage is a spacious 19th-century coastal cottage in picturesque Axmouth village, next to the River Axe. This family-friendly East Devon cottage is just one mile from the harbour and fascinating Jurassic coast, making it ideal for exploring the Devon and Dorset coasts.

  • Active Holidays
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Independent Cottages
  • Romantic Cottages
A large single storey barn with a private, secure, hedge-lined lawn.
Sleeps
12
Bedrooms
6

Lower Curscombe Barn is a rural East Devon holiday cottage near Honiton that combines two properties on a semi-working farm. This luxury holiday home provides child-friendly self-catering accommodation for up to 12 guests with six bedrooms in two beautifully furnished, adjoined cottages amidst lovely gardens.

  • Active Holidays
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Farm Cottages
  • Large Holiday Cottages
  • Luxury Holiday Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
Beer Beach in East Devon - a shingle cove beneath cliffs.
Sleeps
7
Bedrooms
4

Gull’s Rest is an idyllic coastal holiday cottage in Beer set on the hillsides surrounding the quaint fishing village in East Devon. It boasts gorgeous views of the harbour and Lyme Bay from the living area’s floor-to-ceiling windows and four bedrooms spread over two stories.

  • Active Holidays
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Fishing Holidays
  • Luxury Holiday Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
A terrace with dining facilities lies in front of a long, 2-storey, contemporary house.
Sleeps
10
Bedrooms
5

Welcome to Yarrow, your large Jurassic Coast holiday cottage in charming Charmouth. This Dorset coastal retreat is perfect for families or friends seeking a break in all seasons. Yarrow is more than just a holiday let; it's a stylishly presented home away from home. Our property has undergone extensive renovations and extensions, ensuring your stay is nothing short of exceptional.

  • Active Holidays
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Large Holiday Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
.3-storey exterior of a Great Yarmouth townhouse
Sleeps
18
Bedrooms
12

Clover Court is a large coastal cottage in Great Yarmouth set moments from sandy beaches in Norfolk. The pet-friendly cottage boasts bay windows and spacious, contemporary rooms, attracting natural light and the calming sea breeze. The attractions of the seaside town are just a short walk away.

  • Active Holidays
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Large Holiday Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
Exterior of a terraced holiday cottage in Newquay with bay windows.
Sleeps
10
Bedrooms
6

Chy-an-Brae is a large 6-bedroom Cornwall Holiday Home situated on Marcus Hill, one of Newquay's prime locations with distant sea views and perfect for a beach holiday. Features in this well-equipped Cornish holiday property include surfboard storage and a pool table, plus lots of buckets and spades. Sleeps 10. Pets Welcome.

  • Active Holidays
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Cottages With Games Rooms
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Large Holiday Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
A large house with floor-to-ceiling windows surrounded by a large garden in the countryside.
Sleeps
12
Bedrooms
6

Converted from a Victorian chapel, Chapel House in Anglesey is a large, purpose-built luxury holiday cottage in a pleasant rural location. It lies about a country mile outside the village of Llanddeusant in the hamlet of Elim on the Island’s west coast. The pet-friendly cottage sleeps 12.

  • Active Holidays
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Cottages With Games Rooms
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Large Holiday Cottages
  • Luxury Holiday Cottages
  • Remote 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.