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.

2-storey1930s holiday cottage in Lymington
Sleeps
6
Bedrooms
3

Sitting just minutes from the beach in Keyhaven is Simple Truths, a stylish coastal cottage with sunny open-plan spaces, a generous lawned garden and urban chic. The pet-friendly cottage in Hampshire enjoys a quiet location in this lovely hamlet and boasts an outdoor seating area with BBQ and Tee-Pee.

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Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
2

The Coach House offers sophisticated coast and country accommodation for four in the North Yorkshire village of Levisham. It boasts subtle elegance with a stone exterior, a contemporary interior, and a delightful garden and open-plan design, all in the heart of the North York Moors and Coast.

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Large thatched cottage overlooking a large lawn fringed with flowering shrubs.
Sleeps
8
Bedrooms
4

Old Thatch is a charming Grade II-listed coastal cottage in Torcross, Devon, with panoramic ocean views and expansive grounds. The masterfully renovated thatched-roof cottage boasts landscaped furnished gardens, a sun-drenched conservatory, a log fire, exposed beams and beach access.

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A single storey barn conversion overlooking a patio and securely-fenced lawn.
Sleeps
6
Bedrooms
3

The Nurseries is an elegant barn conversion resting in a quiet corner of Syderstone in Norfolk. The pet-friendly cottage offers light-filled, open-plan spaces with vaulted beamed ceilings, Danish-style furniture & log fire. The enclosed lawned garden catches the sun, and a beach hut is available.

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Exterior of a stone-built Highland holiday cottage with a hot-tub on its deck.
Sleeps
8
Bedrooms
4

The rural holiday cottage near Muir of Ord in Ross-Shire sits at the foot of the Scottish Highlands and offers whisky Masterclasses. The large and pet-friendly holiday home also boasts beautiful grounds, authentic décor, a hot tub and an open fire, plus accessibility for people with disabilities.

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A stone barn conversion with a wisteria-clad pergola over the front door is surrounded by large lawns.
Sleeps
2
Bedrooms
1

Perfectly located for exploring the Peak District, Church Barn is a beautifully presented countryside cottage with beamed ceilings, flagged floors, an open fire and a mature garden. This cosy holiday cottage for couples lies in the pretty village of Fenny Bentley, surrounded by glorious countryside.

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Exterior of a vine-clad Cotswold honeystone cottage in Chipping Norton.
Sleeps
5
Bedrooms
3

Lowfields is a quiet country cottage near Chipping Norton set on the edge of a peaceful hamlet in the heart of the Cotswolds. This spacious, child-friendly holiday cottage offers lovely rural views of the Oxfordshire countryside and welcomes pets.

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Exterior of a contemporary terraced seaside holiday cottage with floor-to-ceiling bedroom window.
Sleeps
8
Bedrooms
4

Fastnet is a recently-built, spacious and lavish townhouse in Salcombe that is furnished to provide the best self-catering experience in Devon. It's just a short walk away from Salcombe's town centre and the beach. Fastnet is situated on the coast in the South Hams area of South Devon and can accommodate up to 8 guests in its 4 bedrooms.

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A 2-storey, stone-built gwynedd holiday covvage oveerlooks a garden full of poptted plants and shrubs.
Sleeps
5
Bedrooms
3

The Railway Cottage is a stone-built seaside holiday cottage in Fairbourne that sleeps five people in three bedrooms. It is located close to Barmouth and Cardigan Bay on the west coast of Wales and within easy reach of the Snowdonia National Park.

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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.