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.

2-storey, granite-built cottage with many windows overlooks a mature garden.
Sleeps
5
Bedrooms
2

Miller’s House is a stone-built miller’s residence restored with modern comforts, providing a restful haven for families and pets near Tintagel in St Nectan’s Glen. Gorgeous gardens and a babbling stream in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty surround this rural holiday home in North Cornwall.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Remote Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
A clapper-boarded barn conversion with steps to a balcony half-hidden between trees.
Sleeps
2
Bedrooms
1

Miller’s Loft is a romantic cottage amidst lush green countryside in Erpingham, Norfolk. The luxuriously appointed cottage offers beautiful views from its generous deck and draws natural light to the contemporary open-plan living space. Explore the region and relax by the wood burner.

  • Accessible By Train
  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Cottages with Car Chargers
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Holiday Cottages With a Pool
  • Luxury Holiday Cottages
  • Romantic Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Small Cottages
  • Walking Holidays
A 3-storey, brick-built, Dorset Mill House overlooks a cobbled courtyard.
Sleeps
12
Bedrooms
6

Mill House is a large Dorset holiday home in Maiden Newton, Dorset, which makes an ideal holiday retreat for large families and groups of friends, a Grade II listed child-friendly cottage featuring stylish décor, a games room, six spacious bedrooms, and a large enclosed garden with patio and barbecue.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Cottages With Games Rooms
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Large Holiday Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
  • Waterside Cottages
A large two-storey, Derbyshire split level farmhouse with terraces and a spacious lawn..
Sleeps
10
Bedrooms
5

Take a wonderful family holiday to South Derbyshire and enjoy your stay at Mill Farm – The Farmhouse, a pretty, child-friendly cottage perfect for up to 10 guests seeking a countryside escape, set amidst extensive gardens with five bedrooms, a snooker room, a hot tub, and two sitting rooms.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Cottages With Games Rooms
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Farm Cottages
  • Large Holiday Cottages
  • Walking Holidays
A  stone-built cottage overlooks a large lawn surrounded by flowering shrubs and bushes.
Sleeps
6
Bedrooms
3

A perfect rural retreat set amidst a working sheep farm within the Exmoor National Park, Mill Cottage in Luxborough offers comfortable upside-down accommodation for up to six guests, a child-friendly cottage in Somerset with a spacious living area, a wood-burning stove, and an enclosed garden.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Quirky Cottages
  • Remote Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
Exterior of a stone-built holiday cottage in the Lake District.
Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
2

Enjoy a peaceful, relaxing Lake District holiday in Mill Cottage, a dog-friendly home just a few minutes walk to Lake Windermere on the 5000-acre Graythwaite country estate. This cosy, well-equipped cottage sleeps 4—shared use of the indoor heated pool and other leisure facilities.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Holiday Cottages With a Pool
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
Ivey-clad exterior of an Exmoor stone barn conversion.
Sleeps
5
Bedrooms
3

Set among the meadows in the Quarme Valley, West Huckham Barn is a converted rural holiday cottage on Exmoor boasting wonderful moorland views and contemporary style. The pet-friendly cottage near Wheddon Cross has a wood-burning stove, traditional features, vaulted ceilings, expansive grounds and a conservatory.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Luxury Holiday Cottages
  • Remote Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Small Cottages
  • Walking Holidays
  • Waterside Cottages
Wisteria-clad, gable end of a restored weavers cottage with two rows of windows in The Pennines.
Sleeps
6
Bedrooms
3

Tyas Cottage is a secluded rural cottage in West Yorkshire and offers lovely walks from its doorstep. The elegant pet-friendly cottage near Bradshaw boasts a sculpture-filled garden, antique furnishings, modern comforts, woodland views, a log fire, a four-poster bed and exposed beams.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Cottages with Hot Tubs
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Luxury Holiday Cottages
  • Remote Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
A view from sun loungers on a balcony to surf breaking on a beach in the distance.
Sleeps
6
Bedrooms
3

Sunnycliffe House is a stunning 3-bedroom North Devon holiday cottage in Woolacombe with panoramic sea views across the Bay. This beautiful coastal cottage overlooks Combesgate Beach, Baggy Point and Lundy Island. The house is mainly open-plan, with a sunny terrace off the lounge, a picnic table, and sun loungers.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Managed by My Favourite Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • 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.