The 2016 summer of sport. Not just for watching on TV...

The Olympics and Paralympics, the European Championships, The Open, Wimbledon, and the Tour de France - if you're someone who loves sport then this summer is going to be huge! Inspired by this cavalcade of top class action we've put together a guide so that you can pick a holiday that will get the heart pounding.

Get Wet

The UK is a fantastic place for watersports, so if you’ve ever fancied throwing on a wetsuit and hitting the waves this is the place to be. Climb on top of a surfboard and take on the best surf in the UK in Devon and Cornwall, or stay on top of the water in a boat on one of the lakes or perhaps off the coast of Norfolk. You can even let the wind take the strain with some windsurfing or kitesurfing in Wales.

Get High (and Low)

From the fells of Cumbria to the craggy peaks of Wales, there are numerous places across the UK to get your climbing fix. Fell running, mountaineering, rock climbing, white water rafting - it's all here. You can also find Europe’s longest zip wire in Snowdonia, a whopping mile-long ride 500 feet off the ground. If you want to head underground there are plenty of places across the UK to go caving, from the abandoned mines of South-West of England to the caves and tunnels found in Yorkshire. Once more we must give a special nod to Wales, home to Bounce Below, the only underground trampoline centre in the UK!

Get Riding

If you like riding on your bike we've certainly got you covered. From the gentle sloping countryside of Suffolk and Norfolk to the thigh-sculpting gradients you can find in Exmoor and Northumberland, the UK is certainly a country for the cyclists. If you're a hardcore rider then why not ride some (or all) of the Tour de Yorkshire route through the beautiful Dales? Or see how the professionals do it when the Tour of Britain rides through Cumbria and Wales this September.

Off roading more your thing? Then Wales should be your first port of call - it has over 600km of purpose-built track to tackle, including BikePark Wales, the UK's first mountain bike park, and the original mountain bike trail centre at Coed-y-Brenin in Snowdonia which features the MinorTaur Trail, specially designed for disabled visitors to ride.

Get Swinging

There's said to be around 4 million golfers in the UK, and if you're one of them what could be better than trying a new course or two on your next cottage holiday? There are far too many to mention them all, but we'd highlight Mullion Golf Course in Cornwall which is laid out on the clifftops and has some stunning views and challenging conditions. Hunstanton Golf Club is another links course, this time on the North Norfolk Coast, and one of the finest in the county.

Lancashire's most famous courses are Lytham St Anne's and Royal Birkdale which have both hosted The Open on several occasions. However, we'd recommend St Anne's Old Links Golf Club, a fantastic course that more than holds its own against its illustrious neighbours.