A surfer traverses a large wave.

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.

Exterior and interior of Royal Oak Cottage, a luxuriously furnished Exmoor holiday cottage in the moorland village of Withypool.
Sleeps
7
Bedrooms
4

Royal Oak Cottage is an impressive Exmoor holiday cottage in Withypool. The pet-friendly cottage sleeps seven and boasts features of its past as an Ale House, including oak beams, two large fireplaces, stone walls and a bread oven. It also offers natural light and a sun-trap furnished patio.

  • Active Holidays
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Cottages with Car Chargers
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Eco Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
An Exmoor village cottage on the corner of a quiet lane.
Sleeps
5
Bedrooms
3

Located high in the heart of Exmoor, The Old Inn is a charming 3-bedroom holiday cottage in Luckwell, a tiny hamlet just outside Wheddon Cross, a Moorland village with a superb pub. It is perfect for walking, cycling and touring holidays on Exmoor. This pet-friendly cottage sleeps five and is within easy reach of the North Devon and West Somerset beaches.

  • Active Holidays
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
Exterior of a old holiday cottage overlooking Porlock Weir harbour at high tide.
Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
2

Situated in the heart of the seaside village of Porlock Weir, Somerset, Harbour House Apartment once housed the harbour master but now makes an idyllic holiday home along the Exmoor coast, a waterside cottage featuring two cosy bedrooms and French windows offering gorgeous views of the bay.

  • Active Holidays
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Independent Cottages
  • Romantic Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Small Cottages
  • Walking Holidays
  • Waterside Cottages
A converted stone-built, remote Exmoor schoolhouse with a lawn and large patio.
Sleeps
13
Bedrooms
5

The School House is a large holiday cottage on the North Devon coast near Lynmouth. The pet-friendly cottage features a wood burner and other traditional details and boasts a beautiful garden with a running stream and rural views.

  • Active Holidays
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Large Holiday Cottages
  • Remote Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
Exterior of an Exmoor Barn conversion on a bend in an empty country lane.
Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
2

Situated on a working sheep farm and featuring comfortable upside-down self-catering accommodation on Exmoor, The Granary near the rural village of Luxborough, Somerset, makes a peaceful retreat amidst the Exmoor countryside. This child-friendly barn conversion has charming beams, exposed stone walls, and solid oak floors.

  • Active Holidays
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Farm Cottages
  • Remote Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Small Cottages
  • Walking Holidays
A 2-storey-cottage overlooks a lawn surrounded by trees.
Sleeps
5
Bedrooms
3

Escape to Lower Spire Cottage and experience the beauty of Exmoor, just a short walk from your pet-friendly, three-bedroom holiday home in the moorland hamlet of Simonsbath. Enjoy breathtaking views in a stunning, picturesque setting, perfect for a tranquil getaway with your family - with the benefit of a very good pub within walking distance.

  • Active Holidays
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Remote Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
A thatched holiday cottage faces the village green in Exford.
Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
2

Crown Cottage is a thatched roof end-terrace holiday cottage in Exford, a charming village in the Exmoor National Park. The pet-friendly cottage is made for walkers and those who enjoy country life and features traditional details such as a woodburning stove, a traditional fireplace, and period furniture.

  • Active Holidays
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Small Cottages
  • Walking Holidays
A one-bedroom, modern terraced holiday cottage with a large rear lawn.
Sleeps
2
Bedrooms
1

A country escape awaits at Brook Cottage. Expansive views of rolling green hills stretch forever from the romantic cottage near Challacombe in Devon. Boasting a four-poster bed and other luxury touches, the pet-friendly Exmoor cottage promises seclusion, a woodburning stove and a sunroom.

  • Active Holidays
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Romantic Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Small Cottages
  • Walking Holidays
Double-fronted cottage exterior overlooks a quiet village street.
Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
2

Syms Cottage is a characterful rural holiday cottage in Cutcombe. It boasts wide-reaching views of the Somerset countryside and an inglenook fireplace with a wood-burning stove and bread oven. The pet-friendly Exmoor holiday cottage blends contemporary style with country charm and offers walks directly from its front door.

  • Active Holidays
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Remote Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Small Cottages
  • Walking Holidays

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 directly to check that what you want to do on holiday is precisely the activity accessible at the cottage.