Ceri Watson 🇬🇧 Rambler Profile

Ceri Watson lives with her partner and two dachshunds in Essex, United Kingdom.   A regular leader in our Essex Sole Circle, she loves walking in nature, travelling, gardening, and is an avid reader.

What would you like people to know about you?

So, my name always seems to be a sticking point when I first meet someone. The name Ceri originates from Wales and is derived from the Welsh word "caru," meaning "to love”, with roots in the ancient Celtic language. It’s actually more frequently used as a male name (I even dated a guy called Ceri, believe it or not).  It’s pronounced like the Irish name Kerry.  

Where is your favorite place to Ramble, and why do you love it?

 My paternal grandmother grew up in Cardiff, Wales, and I spent many of my childhood summers roaming the hills there, dragging my doll “Myfanwy” along with me. I love Wales so much that it’s my dream to retire there one day with my partner and two dogs. The beaches are so underrated—you can find yourself on the most beautiful stretch of sand with not another person in sight. My dream is to open my front door and see rolling hills stretching for miles in peaceful tranquility. I enjoy noise when I seek it, but I truly love being able to retreat into solitude.

What age are you, and what age do you feel?

I'm 47, but I still feel like I'm in my mid-30s—always ready for the next adventure. In my early 20s, I created a spreadsheet with every country in the world listed on it, determined to tick each one off. I want to see, feel, taste, and hear everything this world has to offer. I still have such a fire in my belly for all things new and different.

What are your favorite all-time movies, TV shows, or books?

I absolutely love horror movies. I’m not a fan of gore, but I do love being scared! I have no idea why—especially since every time I go to the cinema, I come home and check every cupboard in case someone’s hiding in it.

Horror films I enjoy include the 28 Days Later and Aliens franchises. I also loved Talk to Me and the recent film Bring Her Back—seriously creepy!

As for books, one of my all-time favorites is A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. It absolutely broke my heart—I remember crying on my commute to work while reading it. I also loved The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón.

One book that surprised me was Me Before You by Jojo Moyes. It’s not something I’d typically pick up, but I read it on holiday and thoroughly enjoyed it. It was an easy read, yet thought-provoking and utterly heartbreaking.

What five words would you use to describe yourself?

Chatty, cheerful, empathetic, sensitive, and reflective.

I know—it’s a bit of a contradiction! I laugh a lot and love to talk, but I also have a quiet, introspective side.

What are the top 5 things on your bucket list?

I actually crossed one off this year—the Camino—which had been on my list since my 40th birthday. My top five now are: climbing Mount Fuji, walking the Great Wall of China, visiting the San Blas Islands in Panama, experiencing Boston in the fall, and, at the very top, seeing the location of Jack’s Bar from Virgin River in British Columbia, Canada. I completely fell in love with the scenery on that show.

What invention in your lifetime are you most amazed by?

Dare I say mobile phones and the internet? I think they’re both a blessing and a curse. On one hand, they’ve connected me to some of the most wonderful forums that have helped me through different stages of life—for example, finding Sole Sister Ramblers. Walking is something that helps me unwind after a busy week, but too often we’re looking down at our phones, distracted by endless feeds filled with opinions we don’t need or being encouraged to buy things we don’t want. We forget to look up and notice the world around us.

That said, mobile phones and social media also keep us closely connected to the people we love. They let us share in treasured memories we might otherwise miss. My dad lives in North Carolina, USA, and without social media, I’d miss out on so many amazing moments from my American family.

What is the best advice you ever got?

There are two pieces of advice I always come back to:

The first is from my dad: “Consider the source.”
If someone says something hurtful, ask yourself—are they close to you? Are they important in your life? If not, does their opinion really matter?

The second is from one of my fellow Sole Sisters, Gill. I was troubled by something, and she said, “Will it matter in five days?” I thought about it and realized—no, it wouldn’t. Since then, I’ve used that question to put most of my worries into perspective.

And finally, a simple reminder: Don’t forget to look up.

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