Visitors to the Cotswolds will find a mix of rolling hills, picture postcard villages and rustic old pubs for leisurely lunches that are perfect for exploring by bike. Starting in elegant Cheltenham, with its Regency buildings and beautifully landscaped gardens, a self-guided cycling trip from Sherpa Expeditions offers a choice of routes each day depending on how energetic you feel. Along the way, you will encounter honey-coloured stone villages, open wolds, wooded valleys and Roman roads on the eight-day Cotswolds by Bike trip which costs from £590 per person between April and October.

When people think of surfing in Wales they automatically think of Swansea and Pembrokeshire, but Bridgend is considered by those in the know to offer some of the very best surfing in Britain - plus it can be reached by a direct train from London in less than three hours. This also makes it the ideal location for learning to surf, particularly with Porthcawl Surf School, rated by TripAdvisor as the top surf school in Wales. You can learn to surf on the Blue Flag Rest Bay beach year-round, with a beginning lesson including tuition, a wetsuit and surfboard for £30. Once you’re done, spend the night at Blue Seas Bed and Breakfast overlooksing the sands of Rest Bay, from £60 for a double en-suite room.

Horse riding is one of the finest ways to experience the natural beauty of the New Forest National Park. With over 3,000 New Forest Ponies roaming the rolling heathlands, beautiful coastlines and magical woodlands, it's the perfect backdrop for a riding holiday. Whether you are a seasoned rider or a beginner, you can arrange a forest hack or lesson from one of the many stables available. Burley Villa offers short riding breaks including an overnight stay at a B&B and a two-hour hack or trail from £95 per person.

For a sporty staycation ideal for families or groups of friends, head for Cornwall where you can learn to sail in the waters where British Olympic Champion Sir Ben Ainslie honed his skills in Mylor Yacht Harbour near Falmouth. Mylor Sailing School offers bespoke holidays to give visitors of all ages and abilities access to some of the best sailing waters in the world while staying in luxury self-catering cottages overlooking the waters, yachts and dinghies they've been out on during the day. A holiday with one week's self-catering accommodation at Mylor Yacht Harbour and a five-day RYA sailing course with Mylor Sailing School costs from £1,668 for four people.

Scaling three mountains in one day is no mean feat, but climbing them overnight adds a whole new dimension to the tough challenge. Equipped with head torches, you can climb Pen-y-ghent (694 m), Whernside (736 m) and Ingleborough (723 m), passing through slabbed pathways, twisting tracks and steep stone steps. At the top of Ingleborough, enjoy sitting back and watching the spectacular sunrise, before descending back into the village and enjoying a hearty breakfast. Discover Adventure's two-day trip costs from £174 per person, including breakfast at the end, snacks throughout and the Discover Adventure support team.

Looking for a fun twist on a traditional activity holiday? Learn bushcraft skills at Adhurst, a 450-acre estate situated within the South Downs National Par. You can experience a range of on-site bushcraft activities, including whittling, knives, spoon carving, ponassing a fish and slow cooking with a Dutch oven. The Bushcraft breaks at Adhurst can include walks from your yurt to local pubs, barbeques, treasure hunts and fly fishing. Some of the free fun available includes rope swings, zip wire and tennis. Short breaks cost from £110 per night for three guests in a yurt. There is an additional cost for each bushcraft session.

Pembrokeshire is renowned in the kayaking world as being a true sea kayaker’s paradise due to the wonderful natural features along the coast, the amazing variety of wildlife and the many challenges. On a two, three or four- full-day journey along the coast, you can kayak beneath rock faces, under natural rock arches and into sea caves. Look out for wildlife such as Atlantic grey seals, pods of porpoise, razorbills and gannets. Preseli Venture offers sea kayaking breaks from £289 for two days, including accommodation in a five-star ecolodge and home cooked meals.

Swimming is the ultimate low-impact sport, working all the main muscle groups and providing all-round cardiovascular fitness. If you're looking for more than just a paddle in the hotel pool on holiday, the Swim Clinic at Watergate Bay in Cornwall could be for you. The two-day clinic with Salim Ahmed, professional swim coach from Swim Lab, takes place at the seaside hotel and combines land sessions on the importance of streamlining, body alignment and 'hydro-statics', with pool-time and video analysis. It's an excellent weekend to spend perfecting your front crawl, learning to swim smoother or just leaving with more confidence in the water. The Swim Clinic costs from £295 per person based on two people sharing a room.

On a self-guided walking holiday in Devon, you can explore the South Hams, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, while following coastal paths and crossing sandy beaches, and even riding a ferry boat and steam train. Foot Trails' Far Side of Wessex holiday takes in nature and delves into histories stretching back to Saxon times. The trip is available for three, four, five or six nights, midweek and over weekends, year-round. It costs from £380 per person, based on two sharing, including en-suite accommodation, transport to the start of the trail, breakfast and self-guided walking days.