A surfer traverses a large wave. Find holiday cottages for active holidays in the open air.

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.

Single-storey stone-built barn conversion half-hidden by tall shrubs.
Sleeps
8
Bedrooms
3

This stylishly converted threshing barn is a large holiday cottage located in beautiful West Anstey, an attractive Exmoor village just inside the North Devon border. This luxury holiday home offers a spacious and secluded retreat for up to 6/8 guests. Enjoy stunning views of the gardens and surrounding countryside from the light and airy circular living room. Relax and unwind while taking in the tranquil atmosphere of The Roundhouse. With all the comforts of home, you’ll feel right at home in this homely setting. Enjoy easy access to many of the local attractions in Devon and Cornwall.

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A spacious wooden floored lounge with twin sofas, TV and a woodburner.
Sleeps
5
Bedrooms
3

Welcome to this charming Coldingham holiday cottage, your ideal holiday home in Berwickshire 7 Bogan. Nestled on a quiet village street, it offers a delightful retreat that has recently undergone extensive renovations to ensure comfort and enjoyment. This three-bedroom cottage is perfect for families or friends seeking a tranquil yet well-connected escape.

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A semi-detached, stone-built village cottage surrounded by a privet-hedged garden.
Sleeps
5
Bedrooms
3

Rose Cottage is a delightful Grade II-listed detached cottage in the charming village of Powerstock in Dorset. The stone-built rural cottage boasts mature gardens with sitting-out areas, an interior with exposed beams, tiled floors, an inglenook fireplace, a wood burner and modern comforts.

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Stone-built terraced farm cottage overlooking a courtyard.
Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
2

East Harwood Farm Cottage is a pet-friendly, stone-built cottage located on a working farm in Timberscombe. The cottage sleeps four, boasts stunning countryside views, stabling for horses, and a wood-burning stove.

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A single-storey Dorset holiday cottage overlooks a large lawn surrounded by a wooden fence, trees and rose bushes.
Sleeps
11
Bedrooms
5

Situated amidst the splendour of the Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and boasting amenities suitable for all ages, Court House Farmhouse is a large holiday cottage on the edge of the Dorset village of Whitchurch Canonicorum. This a child-friendly cottage with five bedrooms, a private hot tub, and a shared games barn.

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Exterior of a stone-built holiday home in Dunster surrounded by a stone wall..
Sleeps
6
Bedrooms
3

Withycombe Cottage is a charming rural holiday cottage in the Exmoor National Park near Dunster. The pet-friendly property sleeps six with an indoor pool, a swimming pool, a tennis court and children’s playground, a games room, and an interior combining tradition and style.

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Sleeps
6
Bedrooms
3

Escape to a large Shropshire holiday cottage with a swimming pool. The whole family will love William’s Hayloft. Set on a vast property, the pet-friendly cottage in Alkington promises fresh air and facilities such as woodland, an indoor swimming pool, a multi-sports court and a children’s play area, plus a wood-burning stove.

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Semi-detaachd, brick holiday home in caersws with off-road parking spaces.
Sleeps
6
Bedrooms
3

7evern blends tradition with contemporary style in a converted barn near the village of Caersws in Mid Wales. The rural holiday cottage lies on Porth Farm, and the light and airy converted barn offers families joyful décor, exposed beams, and access to an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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Cottage window view of a rocky river flowing through a village in a valley.
Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
2

Lorna Doone Cottage is a Lynmouth Holiday Cottage enjoying beautiful views of the East Lyn River from its elevated hillside location in Lynmouth, Split over three floors, the coastal cottage is just moments from the quaint village centre and the beach and offers a lovely balcony, contemporary comfort and a warming log fire for those autumn and winter 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 direct to check that what you want to do on holiday is precisely the activity accessible at the cottage.