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 terraced row of well-maintained Victorian Houses with small low-walled front garden.
Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
2

Escape to Exmouth in this beautifully presented penthouse holiday apartment overlooking the Exe estuary. With two bedrooms sleeping four, this home is just a short stroll from Exmouth’s long, sandy beach and is the perfect retreat for a seaside holiday in one of Britain’s oldest and prettiest coastal towns.

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The tower of a windmill (no sails) surrounded by a shrub-filled garden.
Sleeps
6
Bedrooms
3

Once a working flour mill for over 100 years, Aylsham Windmill now offers luxurious, family-friendly self-catering holidays (with Wi-Fi) for 2-6 guests in Aylsham, a picturesque rural market town in North Norfolk midway between Norwich and the coast at Cromer.

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Sleeps
10
Bedrooms
4

Becks Fold is a large Lake District holiday cottage with grandiose decor and a modern style. Double-height ceilings, original vaulted beams and underfloor heating create a sense of charm at this genuinely warming and inviting secluded rural retreat close to Lake Coniston in Cumbria. Sleeps 10.

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Exterior of a 2-storey, wooden A-Frame eco lodge surrounded by oprn countryside
Sleeps
6
Bedrooms
3

Comraich, which means sanctuary and protection in Gaelic, is a cozy and fully equipped wooden holiday home that can accommodate up to six people. It offers all the necessary amenities for a family to enjoy a self-catering stay. It is located on a remote rural hillside behind the village of Kilchoan and boasts stunning sea views over to the Isle of Mull. Pets are welcome to join the guests.

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Exterior of a honey-coloured Cotswold holiday cottage with a spacious lawn with topiary.
Sleeps
2
Bedrooms
1

The Little House is a cute romantic cottage in the Cotswolds, boasting unique features. The luxury holiday cottage for couples in Stroud epitomises rustic chic. It offers a beautiful garden with a tipi, spa bath & views of the Cotswolds, while the interior features a fireplace with an open fire.

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Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
2

With fabulous waterside views across the beautiful River Dart and the Marina beyond, the 2-bedroom apartment at 40 Dart Marina is in a fabulous South Devon location within walking distance of central Dartmouth within a designated National Landscape.

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A holiday apartment lounge with sofas and French windows leading to a balcony
Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
2

5 Middlecombe in the seaside resort village of Woolacombe, Devon, is part of the North Devon coast’s newest self-catering holiday destination, a child-friendly first-floor apartment with access to the complex’s many amenities and boasting an open-plan living area, private balcony, and en-suite master bedroom.

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Frontage of a creeper-clad stone farmhouse overlooking mature gardens.
Sleeps
12
Bedrooms
5

Enjoy self-catering holidays in North Wales with family and friends at Hendre Aled Farmhouse, a large and secluded pet-friendly farmhouse near Llansannan in the Conwy Valley. This 4-bedroom house sleeps 12. It is ideally located for exploring the North Wales coastal resorts and Snowdonia.

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Sea view from a patio with a breakfast table
Sleeps
6
Bedrooms
3

Perched high above the vibrant town of Brixham, this property has fantastic views of the harbour and out to sea. With three beautiful bedrooms sleeping six guests, it makes an ideal holiday home in Torbay for families or friends looking for a fabulous self-catering coastal holiday in Torbay.

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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.