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Thread 8: To feel disappointed after reading this in The Observer about the author and her husband from The Salt Path book and film?

1000 replies

DisappointedReader · 16/07/2025 23:41

Well, this has turned out to be slightly longer than the dozen or so replies I expected when I started the first thread!

The Observer The real Salt Path: how a blockbuster book and film were ...

2nd Observer
https://observer.co.uk/news/national/article/the-salt-path-whats-in-the-book-and-what-the-observer-has-found

3rd Observer
https://observer.co.uk/news/national/article/the-salt-path-the-truth-behind-the-blockbuster-book-video

4th Observer
‘I felt I was being gaslit’ – the landlord who helped Ray...

Thread One ^www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5368194-to-feel-disappointed-after-reading-this-in-the-observer-about-the-author-and-her-husband-from-the-salt-path-book-and-film?^

Thread 2 Thread 2. To feel disappointed after reading this in The Observer about the author and her husband from The Salt Path book and film? | Mumsnet

Thread 3 https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5369425-thread-3-to-feel-disappointed-after-reading-this-in-the-observer-about-the-author-and-her-husband-from-the-salt-path-book-and-film?

Thread 4 https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5370609-thread-4-to-feel-disappointed-after-reading-this-in-the-observer-about-the-author-and-her-husband-from-the-salt-path-book-and-film?

Thread 5 Thread 5: To feel disappointed after reading this in The Observer about the author and her husband from The Salt Path book and film? | Mumsnet

Thread 6
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5372494-thread-6-to-feel-disappointed-after-reading-this-in-the-observer-about-the-author-and-her-
husband-from-the-salt-path-book-and-film?

Thread 7
www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5373425-thread-7-to-feel-disappointed-after-reading-this-in-the-observer-about-the-author-and-her-husband-from-the-salt-path-book-and-film?

Raynor Winn/Sally Walker's statement Raynor Winn

New posters welcome. It would be helpful to read at least the four Observer items above before posting.

To all - Please be extremely cautious when it comes to naming or implicating people and addresses not in the public eye or with no direct connection to the story, and around the understandable health speculations, especially where details are unclear or still emerging. Please do not engage with possible visitors who seem to have their own agenda and seek to derail.

We have done amazingly well together - in the main that is, not mentioning any names but you know who you are! - for seven threads so far. I can't be on the threads as much as I'd like so all help with keeping our discussion ticking along in a healthy and civil fashion is very welcome.

No saltiness. Keep to the path. Thank you.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
38
AldoGordo · 19/07/2025 22:08

Humankindness · 19/07/2025 22:06

You can still have a man in a row boat with a dog and a motorised ferry. In the same way, and referencing an earlier contributor, a Warden may not be patrolling where you’ve wild camped at the exact same time that you’re there. You may also choose to camp behind a cafe as opposed in a more beautiful spot simply because you’re knackered and want to get your tent up no matter what.

If the Observer article is based on interviews with walkers who say the Winns couldn’t have walked the coast path, the journalist really will be scrapping the bottom of the barrel. And for me, this will be further evidence of a witch hunt.

Edited

"Evidence". Didn't think you knew what that was previously. 😂

FlyAgaricc · 19/07/2025 22:14

Chloe also said at the end of the recent Observer YouTube video that there is more coming. Can't remember if she specified Sunday

Catwith69lives · 19/07/2025 22:16

Hmm - Sunday may be damp squid.

Catwith69lives · 19/07/2025 22:17

Hmm. Sunday's Observer may prove a damp squid.

Thread 8: To feel disappointed after reading this in The Observer about the author and her husband from The Salt Path book and film?
OpenThatWindow · 19/07/2025 22:18

Catwith69lives · 19/07/2025 22:16

Hmm - Sunday may be damp squid.

Edited

😂

Aspanielstolemysanity · 19/07/2025 22:20

Humankindness · 19/07/2025 22:06

You can still have a man in a row boat with a dog and a motorised ferry. In the same way, and referencing an earlier contributor, a Warden may not be patrolling where you’ve wild camped at the exact same time that you’re there. You may also choose to camp behind a cafe as opposed in a more beautiful spot simply because you’re knackered and want to get your tent up no matter what.

If the Observer article is based on interviews with walkers who say the Winns couldn’t have walked the coast path, the journalist really will be scrapping the bottom of the barrel. And for me, this will be further evidence of a witch hunt.

Edited

I agree with you that minor discrepancies in descriptions aren't worth lots of newspaper inches (but I would question the "unflinchingly honest label for that book or future ones if a lot of artistic licence was applied )

But I don't think exposing a major theft, that would have resulted in a custodial sentence if the money hadn't been paid back, can really be described as a "witch hunt".

That's definitely serious public interest stuff.

Humankindness · 19/07/2025 22:22

AldoGordo · 19/07/2025 18:21

If any of the books still sell, they'll sell them. I expect book 4 will publish regardless of all the controversy. Even if we never hear from RW again. They've had all the publicity they need now, and I reckon enough people will still want to read it, people like Humankindness, is my thinking anyway.

Edited

Thanks for the mention / speculation.

DisappointedReader · 19/07/2025 22:22

I am wondering what the scrap value is for the bottom of a barrel. I must gather up all my barrel bottoms and find out.

OP posts:
Humankindness · 19/07/2025 22:23

Noblepine8 · 19/07/2025 17:12

The singularly most astonishing thing to me in this whole debacle is that GA loved the book so much she wanted to acquire the film rights! Is this actually true?

Yes! Does that make her a knob-head?

AldoGordo · 19/07/2025 22:25

Seems someone else is desperately on the hunt for How Not to Dal Dy Dir (this user seems unlikely to be CH based on other reddit posts).

Thread 8: To feel disappointed after reading this in The Observer about the author and her husband from The Salt Path book and film?
OpenThatWindow · 19/07/2025 22:25

@Humankindness out of interest, why would the Observer go to such lengths to target Sally & Tim as a pure witch hunt?

You believe the couple have done nothing wrong and are completely innocent of any wrongdoing.

So...why all this? You talked about political rhetoric and hinted at alterior motives with the newspaper.

What is their aim here, specifically? What are they hoping for, if the media are the Bad Guys and the Walker/Winns are the hard done by heroes?

What on earth is to be gained?

Humankindness · 19/07/2025 22:25

Aspanielstolemysanity · 19/07/2025 21:10

I mean, I get that there is subjectivity, but the basic topography doesn't change very often

More than you think, thanks to climate change.

AldoGordo · 19/07/2025 22:26

Humankindness · 19/07/2025 22:22

Thanks for the mention / speculation.

Why?

DisappointedReader · 19/07/2025 22:26

Humankindness · 19/07/2025 22:23

Yes! Does that make her a knob-head?

That is not very kind.

OP posts:
Fandango52 · 19/07/2025 22:26

Catwith69lives · 19/07/2025 22:16

Hmm - Sunday may be damp squid.

Edited

😂😂 Oi, I like my squid damp.

Fandango52 · 19/07/2025 22:27

Humankindness · 19/07/2025 22:23

Yes! Does that make her a knob-head?

Wow. That escalated quickly.

AldoGordo · 19/07/2025 22:30

Just adding "climate change" to the expansive list of lines of defence for Raymoth.

Humankindness · 19/07/2025 22:31

AldoGordo · 19/07/2025 22:08

"Evidence". Didn't think you knew what that was previously. 😂

@AldoGordo Wow! I sympathize.

Stravaig · 19/07/2025 22:33

Spilt milk everywhere 🤣

Aspanielstolemysanity · 19/07/2025 22:33

AldoGordo · 19/07/2025 22:30

Just adding "climate change" to the expansive list of lines of defence for Raymoth.

Edited
Grin
AnAlpacaForChristmasPleaseSanta · 19/07/2025 22:33

DisappointedReader · 19/07/2025 22:26

That is not very kind.

Indeed it is not.
But now it's been brought up I don't think I've seen knobhead hyphenated before. And I've written it many times over the years in my brother's birthday cards. Have I been spelling it wrong all this time?

That would be a horrendously embarrassing mistake if so. Admittedly not as big a one as embezzling money from my seriously unwell employer but still...

Aspanielstolemysanity · 19/07/2025 22:36

AnAlpacaForChristmasPleaseSanta · 19/07/2025 22:33

Indeed it is not.
But now it's been brought up I don't think I've seen knobhead hyphenated before. And I've written it many times over the years in my brother's birthday cards. Have I been spelling it wrong all this time?

That would be a horrendously embarrassing mistake if so. Admittedly not as big a one as embezzling money from my seriously unwell employer but still...

It's fine. My Google search history is tainted but I can confirm that "knobhead" is one word, so you can keep up the loving sibling tradition Grin

Thread 8: To feel disappointed after reading this in The Observer about the author and her husband from The Salt Path book and film?
Fandango52 · 19/07/2025 22:37

AnAlpacaForChristmasPleaseSanta · 19/07/2025 22:33

Indeed it is not.
But now it's been brought up I don't think I've seen knobhead hyphenated before. And I've written it many times over the years in my brother's birthday cards. Have I been spelling it wrong all this time?

That would be a horrendously embarrassing mistake if so. Admittedly not as big a one as embezzling money from my seriously unwell employer but still...

😂😂

AnAlpacaForChristmasPleaseSanta · 19/07/2025 22:38

Thank you @Aspanielstolemysanity . You are doing the Lords work.

ETA: just google loads of Simon Armitage. That'll balance your search history.

DisappointedReader · 19/07/2025 22:39

Humankindness · 19/07/2025 22:23

Yes! Does that make her a knob-head?

You are bringing this thread and Mumsnet into disrepute, using language like that.

As the OP, I must point out that it is not in the spirit of this thread and ask you not to drag it down to that level. This is a civil thread. Thread 8 in a series of civil threads in fact.

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