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 stone-built Lake District Cottage sits in a woodland clearing surrounded by mature trees.
Sleeps
12
Bedrooms
6

Carrholme is a large Grade II listed Yorkshire Dales Holiday Cottage, brimming with rural charm and modern conveniences as well as generous gardens and views over Settle and the Yorkshire Dales. The charming cottage that once housed Prince Charles promises regal comfort for groups and welcomes pets.

  • Active Holidays
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A 2-storey, end-of-terrace stone-built holiday cottage in Settle with a walled side garden.
Sleeps
2
Bedrooms
1

French doors open onto a private patio and lawn with stunning rural views of the surrounding countryside at this Yorkshire Dales holiday cottage for couples. Located in the peaceful village of Long Preston, near Skipton, Carn Cottage sleeps two and is a short walk from a CAMRA award-winning pub.

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A hot tub beneath a glass roof sits on a wooden deck next to two sun loungers.
Sleeps
11
Bedrooms
4

Cariad Cottage is a large, pet-friendly Ceredigion Holiday Cottage with a hot tub. Located near Aberaeron in a quiet countryside location, this welcoming rural cottage sleeps 11 in 4 bedrooms, one being wheelchair accessible with a wet room. Cariad has two fun-fishing lakes.

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A semii-detached Dorset cottage overlooks a paved front courtyard for parking.
Sleeps
2
Bedrooms
1

Dating back to the 1600s, Candy Cottage boasts rustic charm and tranquillity. The pet-friendly cottage in Thornford promises touches of yesteryear, space for pets, and a wood-burning stove in a traditional fireplace. A roll-top bath offers relaxation & the cottage is well situated in Dorset.

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A 2-storey Lynton apartment building overlooks a shrub-filled front garden
Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
2

C S Lewis Balcony is a stylish, two-storey Lynton holiday apartment overlooking the sea. The impressive property sleeps four and enjoys beautiful views from its furnished balcony. It offers an interior with dual-aspect windows, sophisticated décor, sunlit spaces, and luxurious details.

  • Active Holidays
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A stone-built, end of terrace cottage overlooking an empty street.
Sleeps
5
Bedrooms
3

This traditional, stone-built Yorkshire Dales holiday cottage sleeps five on the outskirts of the charming village of Ingleton. Nicely located for exploring the Dales’ spectacular Three Peaks area, Bytheway Cottage has a snug sitting room with patio doors and is a short hop and a skip away from an excellent pub.

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Exterior of a rural holiday cottage in Abersoch surrounded by green fields
Sleeps
5
Bedrooms
3

Bwythyn-y-Wennol Cottage keeps the tradition of the family seaside holiday alive. This Welsh coastal cottage on the idyllic Llyn Peninsula in Abersoch sleeps 2-5 guests. The stunning Llyn Coastal Path Snowdonia offers an enticing choice of scenic walks and many other activities in this beautiful corner of North Wales.

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Exterior of a large 3-Victorian Inn  on a street corner, now converted into a big holiday cottage.
Sleeps
34
Bedrooms
12

The Ship Inn, once a pub in Colwyn Bay, has been comfortably and stylishly converted to create a large, dog-friendly holiday cottage in North Wales sleeping 34 guests in 12 spacious bedrooms, with a 5-minute walk of the beach.

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The 3-storey gable end seen through trees of a Cumbrian stone-barn conversion.
Sleeps
7
Bedrooms
3

Ideally situated in the South Lakeland District to explore this gorgeous region, 5 The Granary on the outskirts of Kendal, Cumbria, is a beautiful child-friendly cottage converted from a grain store to a gorgeous three-storey holiday home with an enclosed courtyard, garden and three cosy bedrooms.

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  • Active Holidays
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  • Cycling Holidays
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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.