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.

Large Exmoor holiday cottage overlooks a spacious lawn and drive with a wooden 5-bar gate.
Sleeps
9
Bedrooms
5

Middle Stolford Cottage is a lovely farmhouse in the Brendon Hills of Somerset. This charming pet-friendly cottage offers a peaceful retreat with beautiful views of the countryside and fresh air. The cottage features many original details, including a wood-burning fireplace and a tennis court. Moreover, it is located just a stone's throw away from the coast and within easy reach of The Quantock Hills and Exmoor—perfect for day trips.

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Sleeps
6
Bedrooms
3

Squirrelled away in the North Devon countryside, less than half an hour from the coast. Somers Hiscott-6 is beautifully spacious and sits right in the middle of the private estate (40 acres). There will be more than enough room for you to spill out and make this home your own – inside and out!

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A mature garden slopes up to a large house backed by trees.
Sleeps
8
Bedrooms
4

Gaze across the coastline of Porlock Bay from Elthorne, a large Exmoor coastal cottage just moments from the centre of Porlock, a desirable little seaside town in Somerset. Play with your pets in the beautiful private gardens and relax in the 1930s cottage with a wood burner and spacious light-filled rooms.

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Sleeps
8
Bedrooms
5

Underwoods Dairy is a beautifully converted Barn in the small hamlet of Tatham on the western edge of the Pennines near Kirkby Lonsdale. This pet friendly, large holiday cottage in Lancashire offers stunning rural views. It sleeps 11 and welcomes famlies or groups of friends.

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Stone-built exterior of a Dorset cottage with a shingle garden protected by an ornate iron fence.
Sleeps
8
Bedrooms
4

The Old Butcher’s Shop in Docking offers a soft palette with dashes of colour in a detached rural cottage just moments from the coast. The large and pet-friendly holiday cottage in Norfolk blends luxury with country charm and features an open fire, a games room and multiple sun-drenched spaces to relax and socialise.

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Sleeps
10
Bedrooms
5

Lower Farmhouse is a charming Cotswold stone farmhouse situated on a working farm located outside Moreton-in-Marsh in Gloucestershire. The rural cottage features many traditional elements, including an inglenook fireplace and exposed beams, and offers sun-drenched gardens that provide seclusion and relaxation.

 

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Sleeps
16
Bedrooms
8

The Old Vicarage is an impressive detached property with lots of space, including four reception rooms. Set in a large, lawned garden, the property is in the heart of the North Yorkshire Moors on the edge of the beautiful village of Rosedale Abbey.

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A 2-storey Cotswold honeystone cottage overlooking a spacious lawn.
Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
2

Kitchen Garden Cottage is a gorgeous yellow stone holiday cottage in Barton-on-Heath, set within the grounds of the old rectory. This quiet rural retreat sits within the Cotswold National Park and enjoys beautiful views, lovely grounds, beams, sophistication, and a log fire.

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An arched  brick gatehouse converted to holiday cottages.
Sleeps
2
Bedrooms
1

The Treasury is an elegant romantic cottage within the grounds of the private Wolterton Park Estate in Norfolk. The pet-friendly luxury cottage for two boasts exposed brick walls and great character, as well as fine furnishings and an open fire. Couples can also enjoy the private estate and its 150 acres of grounds.

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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.