Eco gîtes, French Pyrenees

Explore the French Pyrenees from the eco-friendly La Bergerie near the village of Gaillagos, south of Lourdes in the Parc National des Pyrenees. These gîtes have earned the WWF's "panda gîte" eco label for conservation, hot water comes courtesy of solar panels, and you're provided with binoculars and guides to the flora and fauna of the stunning Val D'Azun.

· 0033 5 62 34 21 83, gites-france-pyrenees.fr. From €510 per week (sleeps 4). Train from London to Tarbes (via Paris) from £97 pp rtn (0844 848 4070, raileurope.co.uk) then bus to Gaillagos from where it's a 2km walk.

Camping and canoeing, Denmark

Pitch and paddle your way across Denmark's lake district in Jutland, the location of some of the country's highest peaks. Silkeborg's tourist office organises three-day guided canoe trips along the Gudenå river or you can do-it-yourself by hiring canoes at the Gudenåens campsite, 150m from the water's edge and a 20-minute walk from Silkeborg.

· Three-day trip from around £130, including camping (silkeborg.com). A pitch at Gudenåens (0045 86 82 22 01, indelukket.dk) costs €9.70; cabins from €43 (sleep 6). Train from London to Silkeborg via Brussels and Cologne then overnight train via Copenhagen and Skanderborg, costs from £295.

Cool pool, Austria

High up in the hills overlooking Lake Zeller near Salzburg, you can spend the morning walking up Schmittenhöhe mountain then return in the afternoon and cool off at the family-run Jaga Alm Hotel's natural swimming pool, enjoying views of the Hohe Tauern national park.

· 0043 6542 72969, jaga-alm.at. Doubles from €108 B&B. Train from London to Zell am See (via Paris and Milan) from £256 rtn, from where you can get a transfer to the hotel.

Lake swimming, Austria

Below Mount Poelven at the edge of a pine forest, Schwoich's 2,000 sq m "banana lake" is the Tyrol's first public natural bathing pool, a lake that has been treated using plant filters to clean the water. It has wooden jetties, a pebble beach and is surrounded by forest and mountain slopes. Self-cater at Ferienwohnung Steinbacher, a farmhouse apartment in Schwoich, with organic eggs and milk from the farm and fresh bread from the baker.

· Apartment costs €40 a night for two (0043 5372 58810, kufstein.com). Train from London to Kufstein (Kufstein via Paris and Mannheim) costs from £274 rtn, then bus to Schwoich (€2.50).

Beach retreat, Italian Lakes

Relax on a private beach that's part of a protected shoreline by Lake Maggiore. Polidora is a converted farm in Cerro, just south of Laveno, where you'll stay in the restored hayloft and have access to the owner's 19th-century, terraced botanical garden that leads down to the water's edge for views of the Borromeo Islands.

· 0039 349 78 26 474, polidora.com. Room €120 B&B. Train from London to Milan from £119, then take the local train to Laveno from where it's a 10-minute taxi ride to Polidora.

Archaeology and activities, Northern Ireland

A three-day trip to the Corrolea Activity Centre northwest of Ireland, promoted under the country's Greenbox scheme, includes a guided bike tour of archaeological sites such as megolithic tombs, then canoeing back to your eco-friendly cottage (solar panels, wood stoves, recycling) across Lough Macnean, which straddles the counties of Leitrim, Cavan and Fermanagh.

· 028 6638 6123, tinyurl.com/6dbg6x. £120pp, Friday-Sunday. Ferry Stranraer to Belfast (stenaline.co.uk) then bus, see greenbox.ie for details.

Eifel national park, Germany

Circular, Crayola blue lakes in volcanic craters known locally as "blue eyes" form a network of swimming spots in the uplands of the Eifel mountains between Aachen, Cologne and Koblenz. Nearby you can stay at Eifel Camp, which is great for families thanks to its facilities, which include a skate park, playground and restaurant. The campsite is on the edge of Lake Freilingen, which isn't a crater lake, and is near to the Eifel national park, full of beech forests and gorges. Also in the area, you can visit the Ahr valley wineries, then rehydrate at one of the 500 mineral springs.

· eifel-camp.de. Train to Cologne.

Farmstay, Czech Republic

The hosts at this 500-year-old restored inn in the Jeseníky mountain range 200km east of Prague are "slow and quality food enthusiasts", but we don't think they mean they're stupid. They've certainly made a smart move letting guests decide what they want to eat from the organic garden each day, and they're also aiming for self-sufficiency. Recover from steep hikes - or days exploring villages - sipping Moravian wine beside the fire or under a cherry tree.

· Responsibletravel.com. There are two rustic bedrooms and an apartment in the stables, from £12 per room per night B&B, meals £3-6pp inc wine. Train to Prague via Cologne, then to Zabreh.

Mountain huts, Andorra

Adventurous skiers make use of tiny Andorra's 29 backcountry mountain huts or "refugis" in winter, but come summer trekkers walking the paths, including GR7, GR11 and GRP1, around Canillo, Encamp, Ordino and La Massana use them for scenic (but basic) stopovers at 2000m. Most are free but you can buy meals at some, and they're made from stone rather than wood.

· Train to l'Hospitalet via Paris then bus.

Highland cabins, Norway

These turf-roofed cabins sit on a hillside overlooking the Gudbrandsdalen Valley, with views of Jotunheimen Mountain. Activities include pony trekking, fishing, mountain biking, canoeing, white-water rafting, guided walking and elk safaris. Guests have full use of the facilities of the nearby hotel, which has an EU Flower award in recognition of its green credentials and a restaurant, tennis courts and outdoor pool. Two- and four-bedroom cabins are available.

· One week's self-catering costs from £456pp, based on two sharing, with Inntravel (01653 617906,inntravel.co.uk), including seven days' car hire. Fly to Oslo Gardermoen.