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.

A white-rendered Watchet holiday cottage with a palm tree in its plant-filled garden.
Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
2

6 Malthouse Court is a coastal cottage boasting contemporary chic. The pet-friendly cottage sleeps four and occupies an ideal location near the marina in Watchet, offering natural light, sophisticated comfort, a delightful courtyard and open-plan design, and proximity to the coast of Somerset.

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L-Shaped farm cottage overlooks a lawn with mature shrubs.
Sleeps
7
Bedrooms
3

Church Farm is a beautifully preserved Exmoor holiday cottage in Stoke Pero belonging to the National Trust. It offers self-catering accommodation for seven guests in three bedrooms in a beautiful part of the National Park in an idyllic rural location near Dunkery Beacon, where wild red deer and Exmoor ponies roam freely. Pets are welcome.

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A single storey holiday bungalow with a patio and large lawn.
Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
2

As part of a holding of chalets, Glen Dessary is a compact and cheerful Fort William holiday home in Argyll. For a truly remote rural getaway with your partner or family, this coastal holiday lodge offers all you need in a homely base for exploring the Highlands and the Western Isles.

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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.

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A large tile-roofed house with a sunroom overlooks a lo-rendered wall.
Sleeps
12
Bedrooms
5

Blaensilltyn Farmhouse in the Ceredigion Countryside is a large, detached, pet-friendly farmhouse near Newcastle Emlyn. Located on a working farm, this spacious and well-equipped holiday home with a hot tub in West Wales sleeps 12 in 5 bedrooms and lies within easy reach of the coast.

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A stone-built terraced cottage with a front garden behind a picket fence.
Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
2

1 Heath View, a New Forest holiday home, oozes charm and tranquillity. Nestled opposite the open Forest, it offers stunning heathland views and direct forest access. Relax in the comfortable lounge with a wood-burning stove, perfect for cosy out-of-season breaks. Enjoy a modern kitchen, conservatory, and two double bedrooms with forest vistas. It is ideal for walking and cycling holidays in the New Forest National Park. Book now for a delightful countryside getaway.

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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.

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An end-terrace stone-built Gwynedd holiday cottage with a paved, secure front patio.
Sleeps
3
Bedrooms
1

Rural and delightfully remote, Cwm Yr Afon Cottage is located on a sheep farm. This beautifully renovated rural cottage in the North Wales countryside is a small, romantic retreat in Snowdonia. Dog-friendly and child-friendly. Sleeps 3.

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Single storey exterior of a barn conversion with a hot tub on its terrace.
Sleeps
6
Bedrooms
3

A charming terraced Shropshire holiday cottage in Alberbury with original oak beams and trusses and a wood burner in the open-plan living area. It sleeps 6 in 3 delightful bedrooms, all en-suite. Add in the private patio with a hot tub, and this is a perfect country cottage for a family holiday!

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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.