THE SALT PATH

We all seem to have learned to kick into survival mode at some point during the pandemic, which gives extra significance to Raynor Winn's The Salt Path.  The book is a couple’s true account of survival when they unexpectedly find themselves homeless and penniless in their fifties. It is a unique story of change, hope and fresh beginnings.

 

Following a bad business investment, Ray and Moth (it does take a while to get used to his name!) lose their beautiful farm in Wales. Moth is also diagnosed with a terminal degenerative disease and is for the most part in excruciating pain. With everything lost, they make the remarkable decision to walk the 630 mile South West Coastal Path. 

 

Living wild, they endure the heat, storms, hunger, all set against the stunning backdrop of this unique coastline, much of which will be familiar to many of us. The book is honestly written as Ray has time to contemplate, reflect and reassess their lives. Living on a diet of noodles, pasties, fudge and making a cup of tea in a pub last all evening, they encounter both hostility and random acts of kindness along the way. More importantly, through the healing power of nature they enjoy a renewed strength of love for each other.

 

This book divided the Den. Whilst some of us saw it as a remarkable achievement of survival against the odds, others were frustrated by some of their actions and questioned whether such a grounded couple could have been so naive as to have ended up homeless without any support from family or friends. 

 

Shortlisted for both the 2018 Costa Award and The Wainwright Book Prize.  For those who would like to continue the story, Raynor Winn’s second book The Wild Silence has also been released.

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