Page 36 | Thread 13: To feel disappointed after reading this in The Observer about the author and her husband from The Salt Path book and film?

DisappointedReader · 2025-08-05T14:59:37+00:00

The Observer's original exposé: [[https://observer.co.uk/news/national/article/the-real-salt-path-how-the-couple-behind-a-bestseller-left-a-trail-of-debt-and-deceit The real Salt Path: how a blockbuster book and film were ...]] The 12 Observer reports currently available online: [[https://observer.co.uk/collections/the-real-salt-path The real Salt Path | The Observer]] Raynor Winn/Sally Walker's statement: [[https://www.raynorwinn.co.uk/ Raynor Winn]] Thread One ^[[https://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?* www.mumsnet.com/talk/amibeingunreasonable/5368194-to-feel-disappointed-after-reading-this-in-the-observer-about-the-author-and-her-husband-from-the-salt-path-book-and-film?]]^ Threads 2-11: Links all in the OP of Thread 12 Thread 12: [[https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5384574-thread-12-to-feel-disappointed-after-reading-this-in-the-observer-about-the-author-and-her-husband-from-the-salt-path-book-and-film https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5384574-thread-12-to-feel-disappointed-after-reading-this-in-the-observer-about-the-author-and-her-husband-from-the-salt-path-book-and-film?]] New posters joining us in the genuine spirit of our civil discourse welcome. It would be helpful to read at least some of the Observer items above before posting. There are currently 12 interesting items on The Observer website and linked to above. 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 visitors who seem to have their own agenda and seek to derail. Avoid @'ing and quoting them as - from experience - this will only encourage them back to the threads. We have done amazingly well together for twelve very interesting, very serious and very silly threads so far. I can't be here as much as I'd like so all help with keeping our discussion walking along in our usual reasonable and respectful fashion is very welcome. Have the sales --or thefts-- of fudge gone up recently? Will Simon's head ever turn up? Has the shed of doubt yet burst at the seams? Will the old charabanc hold up as a tour bus for our hip new band The Drive-By Scolders? And finally, how much salt can we possibly cram into a giant pinch? Keep to the path. No saltiness. May the fudge be with you.

AldoGordo · 09/08/2025 17:14

I've only read a bit of it but can recommend looking up the Parsons' Blog for a genuine account of the SWCP, the friendliness of people, the difficulties of walking and the overall joy that comes across, complete with photos. It's not a bestseller, it's a blog about a long walk, but it's true, perhaps even "unflinchingly honest".

Hyenana · 09/08/2025 17:20

AldoGordo · 09/08/2025 15:18

That's what I've raised previously but somebody said Disabled Students' Allowance is for associated expenses, not a lump payment.

But I do have similar speculative thoughts re: 2009. They were in a financial pickle afterall.

Show quote history

I agree with you that the year 2009, after everything went pearshaped with the Hemmimgs is intriguing (I also posted about this before), as well as the fact that we find him as a first-year student in 2015, just after he got the diagnosis.

I'm not from the UK so not familiar what kinds of financial help are available in which circumstances, but I still wonder if there were ways it was possible to game the system somehow (not necessarily with an eye for University studies at the beginning).

For example, the DSA expenses list includes both 'non-medical helpers' and travel costs - what if that would for example pay for Sally driving him to Uni because his vision and concentration was supposedly so impaired he could not do it himself? (PPs have previously discussed how irresponsible it was for him to be driving a car in TSP and why she didn't do it for him...) Although I'm not sure a wife could be financially compensated for such a role? But maybe even the fuel cost for a double trip that was not actually made would add up. Hypothetically of course.

What you’ll get
2025 to 2026 academic year
Undergraduate and postgraduate students can get up to £27,783 a year for support.
2024 to 2025 academic year
Undergraduate and postgraduate students can get up to £26,948 a year for support.
What DSA can pay for
You can get help with the costs of:

specialist equipment, for example a computer if you need one because of your disability
non-medical helpers, for example a British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter or specialist note taker
extra travel to attend your course or placement because of your disability
other disability-related study support, for example having to print additional copies of documents for proof-reading

https://www.gov.uk/disabled-students-allowance-dsa

(Just an anecdote, I once met a woman who got a huge amount of money via travel expenses that were calculated per distance, while the train ticket she needed cost way less. She was not even gaming the system, just benefitting from a quirk in it, although the rules were later changed to make situations like hers impossible.)

Help if you're a student with a learning difficulty, health problem or disability

Disabled Students' Allowance is extra money for higher education students - DSA1 forms, eligibility, how to apply, needs assessment.

https://www.gov.uk/disabled-students-allowance-dsa

PrettyDamnCosmic · 09/08/2025 17:28

I haven't been able to find their blog so only have the infor in the article but how are two homeless Aussies living in a caravan walking the SWCP? How did they even afford to get to Cornwall?

FloreatAmbridge · 09/08/2025 17:29

RainyTuesdaysAndSunnyWednesdays · 09/08/2025 16:21

Haye Farm Timeline and some background

1994 – Magazine article about cider, interviews previous owner who’s uncle and grandfather had run the farm previously. “His trees have never been pruned, he does not spray, and many have canker. He just keeps the ground beneath them clean.” They also have 200 breeding ewes and 70 bullocks.

2011 – Bill Cole buys Farm. Highlights of Zoopla webpage: “approximately 117 acres of productive land and a four bedroom farmhouse ….comprises three separate reception rooms of good size, a modern well fitted kitchen, a large rear extension with cider/utility room, boot room and cloakroom. At first floor level there are four bedrooms, a useful box room and a family bathroom.” Goes on to mention the orchards.

2015 and 2017 – mentions in local community magazines about people arranging visits to see the cider making.

2018 – Bill Cole contacts WinnWalkers after reading TSP. They visit the farm when “The scorched earth spread along a broad ridge, grass grazed to soil height by cattle and sheep in every field.” He asks them to “Manage my vision for the place: a biodiverse farm that still keeps a few sheep and makes cider, but puts the environment first.” (TWS)

Winter 2018 – tenancy agreement signed. WinnWalkers start work on the house. (TWS)

2019 January – Leave the Polruan home and move to Cider farm. (TWS)

Early spring 2019 – Moth says ‘Do you remember how much equipment and livestock it took to farm a place this size?’ and ‘I think we’re going to have to talk to Sam about finding someone to use the grass. We can focus on resurrecting the orchards, making cider and overseeing a biodiversity plan for the farm, but I can’t see us being able to actually physically farm the whole place ourselves.’ (TWS)

7th March 2019 – Land at the farm sold (Gov.uk Land Registry).

August 2019 – Walk in Iceland with Dave and Julie. ( “Not as weird as getting on the plane in an August heatwave and getting off into early winter.” And “We put our rucksacks in the hold of the bus with only five full days of August left.” (start of bus journey to Landmannalaugar) (TWS)

Then @Furryhappykittens covers the rest 😊 Apart from April 2024 Instagram on hayefarmcider: “We feel unbelievably lucky to be custodians of Haye Farm. Everything that we do here, from managing the orchards without chemicals, using sheep instead of mowers, harvesting apples by hand, wild fermenting, keeping energy inputs to an absolute minimum, processing and reusing waste products (pomace & prunings) and protecting, preserving and planting traditional orchards (which are incredible for wildlife, biodiversity, carbon sequestration and soil health) is done with the Earth and its health in mind!”

From Spring 2019 - I wonder what farming on that scale that they have done and are referring to?
Since the land sale is registered 7th March, I’m fairly sure that the WinnWalkers would have known about it at the signing of the Tenancy Agreement 4(ish) months previously. Which makes the conversation dated early spring meaningless, but does match with SamBill’s quote about managing the farm. The cost of the land on Land Registry is approx. £500,000 so it was probably most of the land apart from the house and orchards?
As a farmer’s son, I would have thought that BillSam would know how quickly things grow back as long as they are given the winter to do so and having no grazing animals on them. “And I didn’t think the change would be so quick, I thought it could be years before we saw the land come back to life” (TWS)
Why do you go away to Iceland in Aug/sept when you are meant to be looking after a cider orchard, surely you should be prepping equipment and collecting the apples that ripen early.
Apart from clearing rubbish and the work inside the house, there seems very little comment on SW doing any physical work on the farm.
(Disclaimer, I have not read Landlines) The only work that seems to be mentioned is getting rid of rubbish, strimming back brambles, nettles etc (not digging out) and pruning trees. IE No rewilding.

Are there any figures on how much the farm acreage was pre-sale, how many acres were sold, and/or why? Because £500k wouldn't necessarily mean a lot of land was sold. Land values vary, but it can be quite pricy, especially if it's suitable for development.

PullTheBricksDown · 09/08/2025 17:34

PrettyDamnCosmic · 09/08/2025 17:28

I haven't been able to find their blog so only have the infor in the article but how are two homeless Aussies living in a caravan walking the SWCP? How did they even afford to get to Cornwall?

They'd sold their house as after the husband's back injury they could no longer afford the mortgage payments. So I would guess they had some capital to live off, hence the trip to the UK and such luxuries as a meal each in the Fat Apples. Of course TSP portrays this as a real indulgence on their part.

RainyTuesdaysAndSunnyWednesdays · 09/08/2025 17:35

AldoGordo · 09/08/2025 17:14

I've only read a bit of it but can recommend looking up the Parsons' Blog for a genuine account of the SWCP, the friendliness of people, the difficulties of walking and the overall joy that comes across, complete with photos. It's not a bestseller, it's a blog about a long walk, but it's true, perhaps even "unflinchingly honest".

I couldn't find this on Google at all so did the same search on Bing (which I normally won't go near) and found it!

Original poster

DisappointedReader · 09/08/2025 17:36

PrettyDamnCosmic · 09/08/2025 17:28

I haven't been able to find their blog so only have the infor in the article but how are two homeless Aussies living in a caravan walking the SWCP? How did they even afford to get to Cornwall?

If you search for David and Jo's Adventures you should find it on parsonstravels dot blogspot dot com.

OP posts:

Hyenana · 09/08/2025 17:51