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The Salt Path was apparently full of lies- I’m gutted!

39 replies

thundertoday · 06/07/2025 07:47

The Salt Path has been one of my favourite books and I haven’t seen the new movie yet - was looking forward to it though. Has anyone else just read the article on the news? In today’s Observer the front page is devoted to a piece of investigative journalism which has uncovered the backgrounds and histories of Raynor Wynn and Moth - and it turns out the book is all lies! (Allegedly as they haven’t commented). But the investigation is robust and they have documents and multiple witnesses showing that the cause of their financial woes was not a dodgy investment in a friends business, but theft, (Raynor allegedly embezzled tens of thousands from her employers) and that Raynor took an enormous loan from a family member to pay for solicitors to make a settlement and non-disclosure order with the people she stole from, and this was the debt that eventually got passed to debt collectors! They also set up a scam to raise money with a prize draw, the prize being the home that they didn’t actually own!

They also owned a farmhouse in France at the time of the walk which they went on because they had “nowhere to live”. On top of that the journalist casts doubt over Moth’s diagnosis with some neurological doctors sceptical about the symptoms and saying it doesn’t seem to be true given no-one has lived past 8 years with this condition but he is still going strong 14 years later.

I am in shock and so bloody gutted about this having loved the book! Raynor and Moth aren't even their real names - she’s called Sally Walker!! Has anyone else just read this?

OP posts:
Grumpyoldpersonwithcats · 06/07/2025 07:52

I'm afraid grifters are going to grift.
Captain Tom anyone?

No idea why doing due diligence seems to be a thing of the past...

BodysBroken · 06/07/2025 07:53

I'm upset too... But this is at least the 3rd thread on this.

Gardenbumblebee · 06/07/2025 07:55

Well I guess the story now is about a pair of grifters that fooled publishing companies and then Hollywood with a pack of lies and got rich from it. Still an achievement but a very different sort.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

BusWankers · 06/07/2025 07:59

It's not like they stole £10,000 from you.

Notreallyme27 · 06/07/2025 07:59

I haven’t read the book but I found the film pretty ridiculous to be honest. If your husband had received a diagnosis like Moth’s, and was told to rest and take care of himself you’d have to be an absolute monster to go dragging him round the coast like that, exposed to the brutal elements.

The council would have put them in temporary accommodation, which wouldn’t have been a palace but far better than a tent in a gale.

jaws33 · 06/07/2025 08:06

Wow, this is the first I heard of it!

jaws33 · 06/07/2025 08:06

It's not like they stole £10,000 from you.

Hi Sally!

Freetodowhatiwant · 06/07/2025 08:10

Yikes that’s the first I have heard of it too. I actually interviewed her in person when the book first came out. For a long podcast episode! She was very quiet and unassuming but very erudite.

Allthegoodhorses · 06/07/2025 08:13

I haven’t read the book or watched the film. I was going to see it a few weeks ago and did a bit of googling to see what it was about but decided against it. In that short bit of googling something felt very off. The vagueness surrounding how they lost their house seemed really fishy. I can’t say I’m particularly surprised by this revelation to be honest.

napody · 06/07/2025 08:14

Notreallyme27 · 06/07/2025 07:59

I haven’t read the book but I found the film pretty ridiculous to be honest. If your husband had received a diagnosis like Moth’s, and was told to rest and take care of himself you’d have to be an absolute monster to go dragging him round the coast like that, exposed to the brutal elements.

The council would have put them in temporary accommodation, which wouldn’t have been a palace but far better than a tent in a gale.

Yes, the bit about them seeking support from the council who turned them away was what pissed me off. We do have a safety net in this country and a terminally ill person is going to be offered shelter fgs.

Yes there's a poverty trap in this country too (see 'I, Daniel blake' for a more joined up treatment of that). But when you're well off it's really really unlikely you'll go from that to losing everything.

AllPlayedOut · 06/07/2025 08:17

I’ve only read the first book and thought that they didn’t come across as very likeable and were only too happy to take advantage of others when they could.

There was clearly a big part of the story missing about how they lost the farm which they glossed over so I can’t say that I’m surprised.

AllThisBatshitteryAndMore · 06/07/2025 08:41

BusWankers · 06/07/2025 07:59

It's not like they stole £10,000 from you.

Come on though, it's fucking annoying that its sold as a true story only to find out its not. @thundertoday may have someone with the same disease and given her false hope

PrincessDonut · 06/07/2025 09:10

I was recommended this book by my FIL who has Parkinsons with some other neurological factors. He found it incredibly inspiring and said he wished he’d fought harder in the early days to keep doing the hill walking that he loved.
I never did read it but am absolutely sickened that it seems that the whole thing was a scam by a pair of absolute grifters.

PaulRichmond · 06/07/2025 09:10

I am 71... 3 weeks ago I was with my husband and eldest son,his stepson when my husband died ...we are both traumatised and are having flashbacks...we have had the funeral and I am now in admin land and have financial worries until I gt probate which takes about 12 weeks

Fishpieandchips · 06/07/2025 09:14

Something felt off with the whole story for me. I saw the film with my daughter a few weeks back and didn't change my mind.

LadyKenya · 06/07/2025 09:16

Notreallyme27 · 06/07/2025 07:59

I haven’t read the book but I found the film pretty ridiculous to be honest. If your husband had received a diagnosis like Moth’s, and was told to rest and take care of himself you’d have to be an absolute monster to go dragging him round the coast like that, exposed to the brutal elements.

The council would have put them in temporary accommodation, which wouldn’t have been a palace but far better than a tent in a gale.

That alone should have been enough to question the whole thing. He was supposedly very sick!

Cyanometer · 06/07/2025 09:30

PaulRichmond · 06/07/2025 09:10

I am 71... 3 weeks ago I was with my husband and eldest son,his stepson when my husband died ...we are both traumatised and are having flashbacks...we have had the funeral and I am now in admin land and have financial worries until I gt probate which takes about 12 weeks

I'm so sorry @PaulRichmond - if you start your own thread, I'm sure you'll get some support.

IMClaire · 06/07/2025 17:43

You have so summed up how I feel. I loved that book and even defended it recently when a friend questioned its authenticity. Feel very betrayed indeed.

Bedfordshirebookworm · 06/07/2025 17:51

Sooo disappointed to kearn all this as loved the first book. Had doubts about the couple though when they first appeared on The One Show. Moth seemed really well and she came over as a very competent business woman. Not wishing him ill but surely Moth wouldn't still be around if he was as ill as they made out. Totally despicable if all that the Observer has written is true.

OliviaBonas · 06/07/2025 22:15

Grumpyoldpersonwithcats · 06/07/2025 07:52

I'm afraid grifters are going to grift.
Captain Tom anyone?

No idea why doing due diligence seems to be a thing of the past...

This! And if you haven’t seen the film, save your money. It’s TERRIBLE!

Cyanometer · 06/07/2025 22:23

Gosh, I just read the article - I didn't feel that Raynor was particularly nice when I read the book, but I also wouldn't have imagined this.

It will be interesting to see how everything settles down in the end.

Cyanometer · 06/07/2025 22:23

I wanted to see the film, mostly for the scenery and for the two leads. Bah.

echt · 07/07/2025 00:45

I read the book about three months ago for my book club. I've dug out the brief notes I made at the time - BC yet to happen so I need them:

Very vague indeed about the circumstances of losing their home
RW's reaction to Moth's diagnosis - cliched writing at its worst. Bloody awful.
Moth seems to disappear from the narrative when one considers what he's enduring. It's all about RW.
Some very lovely description in the second half.
Some very good descriptions of packing in the first part.

lostinthesunshine · 07/07/2025 00:56

Gardenbumblebee · 06/07/2025 07:55

Well I guess the story now is about a pair of grifters that fooled publishing companies and then Hollywood with a pack of lies and got rich from it. Still an achievement but a very different sort.

That’s probably book 4 😆

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