Thread 21 : To feel disappointed - and now disgusted too - after reading this in The Observer about the author and her husband from The Salt Path book and film?

[DisappointedReader]

NO POSTS PLEASE UNTIL THREAD 20 IS FULL

The Observer's original exposé: The real Salt Path: how a blockbuster book and film were ...

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

Links to threads 2-16, the other 20 Observer articles and videos to date, Raynor Winn/Sally Walker's statement, our timeline and sources can all be accessed in the OP and first few posts of Thread 17: https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5403285-thread-17-to-feel-disappointed-after-reading-this-in-the-observer-about-the-author-and-her-husband-from-the-salt-path-book-and-film?

Thread 18: https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5422393-thread-18-to-feel-disappointed-after-reading-this-in-the-observer-about-the-author-and-her-husband-from-the-salt-path-book-and-film?

Thread 19: www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5437058-thread-19-to-feel-disappointed-after-reading-this-in-the-observer-about-the-author-and-her-husband-from-the-salt-path-book-and-film?

Thread 20: https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5454438-thread-20-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 are welcome. It would be helpful to get the background from at least some of the Observer exposé items 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. Remember, even Hollywood rabbits attract the odd flea. Please do not engage with drive-by scolders and ploppers 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. Over 5 months we have done amazingly well together for 20 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.

Keep to the path. No saltiness. Our Cardboard Mascot Our Simon has had his head stuck back on and is wearing a very fetching tinsel boa. The charabanc is bedecked with fairy lights and very well stocked up. May the seasonal fudge and mulled cider be with you one and all. 🎅🌲🎁❄️🎄

These threads are the gifts that keep on giving:
New:

• Salt Path: A Very British Scandal, available from Monday 15th December Sky Documentaries and NOW TV
• ‘Don’t look for the money. I’ve taken it all’: Salt Path author Raynor Winn’s ‘confession’ that she stole from her family | The Observer

Up and coming:

• Observer Newsroom: The Real Salt Path Story, Thursday 8th January 2026 6.30-7.30pm. More information and to book via this link observer.co.uk/our-events/the-real-salt-path-story
• Podcast series from The Observer's award-winning Investigative Journalist Chloe Hadjimatheou
• BBC Documentary (NB Not involving Our Chloe)

*MNHQ correcting above 'Documentary' to 'Podcast' at request of author

NO POSTS PLEASE UNTIL THREAD 20 IS FULL

No, presenting a bit of a hotch potch with medical proof - ‘receipts’ - out of synch poss though (?) indeed, already happened (?) No one is fine tooth-combing. If he’s not been in robust health recently he could have reported new or persistent symptoms to a private consultant too. Once bitten & all that sort of thing…

As said. I have both professional reasons and personal reasons for being interested in this story and why I've been overinvested for 21 threads. I imagine many of us have personal reasons (maybe differing). It's quite cathartic to see these coming to light. And if it prevents one other person coming under a similar trance then it's all worth it. Those who pop in to vent their disgust are lucky to not have been in this position.
I'm relatively unscathed personally and professionally It's not an issue (but can be triggering on ocassion)
Interestingly despite my work I couldn't see deception in my own life for a long time. It was a colleague who pointed it out. So none of this is surprising. Much like Ruth Saberton.

If they had any kind of private evidence, that would have been shown, her rebuttal was the opportunity to show letters that proved an earlier diagnosis. She can't fudge this one, like @SimoArmo, I don't think they set out to get a CBD diagnosis, it was the tentative diagnosis that was given based on Tim's symptoms. But boy, didn't she decide to exploit that diagnosis for everything they could, financial gain being their primary aim.

I do actually believe that Moth has some sort of Parkinsonism. Consultants can't be fooled when there are tests involved eg reflex tests..your reflexes don't lie. But I do believe that SW pounced on the 'worst case scenario' and stayed there because it served her purpose in providing the big emotional hook. That was in itself wholly disingenuous.

I still don’t understand the ‘ lighting up like a Christmas tree’ scan & bad news surely not given at a ‘routine’ apt? The ‘be careful on the stairs’ comment too..

I'm sure he does have something @OneLivelyGreenDeer, what he actually has doesn't really matter, he wasn't diagnosed with it before 2015, we mustn't get caught up in what he has or hasn't got, even if he sought a second opinion now and was given a diagnosis of CBD, he still didn't receive any diagnosis until 2015. The consultant makes it clear in the letter that up to that date, Tim had been seeing GPs and pain clinic. GPs do not diagnose neurological conditions like CBD, they refer the patient to a neurologist.

I'm now in danger of dipping into complete conspiracy/subjection/Daily mail territory. I have no idea what tests you have for parkinsonism diseases. My neighbour has Parkinsons and his has got quite bad over a few years. A friends dad also and he had quite bad shakes before he was diagnosed and went downhill in what seemed like a few years. I'm wondering whether it you were high or something during the appointment you could make things seem worse? It's really hard to imagine anyone doing anything like that though. But also I suspect in NHS they don't often have people faking symptoms for serious conditions. Most older people (usual patients) do their best to appear a lot more well than they are! People faking or increasing symptoms has supposedly been a feature of benefit fraud in recent years. Again I'm sure that's over exaggerated by the media but there's definitely been some people. Or it wouldn't be even a topic for discussion. I do know of a couple of people (again professionally) doesn't make it common.. just possible.

I'm happy to say I don't believe his diagnosis. Doesn't make me a bad person. If I'm wrong then so be it. There's no evidence. If it was suggested then subsequently didn't pan out then that's not a reason to monetise it.

They miss represented the 2015 diagnosis shamelessly, by using it retrospectively, Tim had no diagnosis in 2013/2014. In 2015 he was given a tentative diagnosis of CBD, Salray then took that diagnosis and claimed in writing, in TSP that the diagnosis was given in 2013, as they were losing their house no less.

I think this simple, clear message should begin & conclude any commentary, podcast or documentary. It’s very powerful, important & lost!

I'm sure he does have something

I'm quite sure that he has nothing whatsoever other than usual age related stuff.

He's never been diagnosed with anything, the 2015 letter merely made a suggestion.

We criticise the TrueBelievers for not accepting facts, but none of those consultant letters diagnose him with anything whatsoever. It's all tests and mystery.

He's made it all up, just like all the other times he's made up illnesses.

Even his family don't believe he's ill with anything.

The awfulness of any faux claim particularly poignant when he suggested he had only days to live & that poor man at cider farm cried & was so terribly upset.

I think he has age related stuff too @SomethingAboutKittens ,for sure, he seems to have been checked for some heart issues, even though I have been so doggedly about this, I haven't analysed the medical letters as forensically as say, @SimoArmo would, or many other posters who have fantastic analytical and investigative skills. We have never totally picked the medical letters apart.

Well, I assume she’s been asked by CH, but she’s refusing to engage. Or said she would only disentangle the timeline for CH if she agreed to never publish the disclosures.

There’s a pattern of SW just stonewalling on certain things.

Bill Cole contacted her asking how it was that TW had told him he had two months to live at the same time she represents him as having the miracle ‘lit up like a Christmas tree’ DAT scan in LL. When she replied she didn’t address it.

The Parsons contacted her asking about the discrepancies in her depiction of their meeting and their memories, and when she replied, she didn’t address it either.

I don’t think it’s surprising that Belle Gibson didn’t admit it, but I think others would be surprised at seeing an abject liar being grilled repeatedly and just…carrying on lying.
SalRay will never do a mea culpa.

See, I think she might, if she thought it was worth it.

She also has a longterm pattern of strategic confessions, whether it’s the implicit confession in ‘mistakes were made’ or showing up at night at the Hemmings’ house in tears holding a cheque and claiming she’d sold her mother’s belongings to get the sum together, the typed ‘confession’ she says she didn’t write, the letters ‘Anne’ gave to CH at the petrol station (aimed at stopping her sister going to the police by saying she has a criminal record and will be jailed), or the supposedly fictional account she gave of a ‘pure soul’ led astray into theft for the benefit of a beloved husband in HNTDDR, acc CH. Even the little ‘look how honest I am’ confessions of TSP — the fudge stealing, the campsite freebies, and the admitting not having walked the whole route etc.

If she decided that she’d sell more books off the back of a confession, or that it would gain her something she wanted, I think she might do it. Strategically.

I agree @SlightlyFeckless, that CH has asked Salray, I wasn't really thinking about Chloe, I have no doubt that this will be the subject of one of the January podcasts. Chloe is probably trying to build the scene, prove that Salray has a history of deception, then cover the diagnosis. I think you are entirely right about the possibility of Salray writing again, but I don't think she will be described as beloved author Raynor Winn, ever again. If Salray can live with that and do it for the money, then I expect she could make a lot more money.

Unfortunately you are likely correct. With good advice behind her I can see some genuinely true admissions coming our way. There’s the question of the book in Oct & both PRH & her/them have a vested interest.

The only problem with the true confessions is that everything will have to be checked :)
That will lead to even longer threads, seriously though, there will be a lot of people hoping that Salray doesn't tell the truth, it will call them into question, they are all just hoping it will go away, preferably on a very long walk, off a very short cliff.

My exh once faked a broken ankle. To this day everyone but me (who remember s or cares so mainly just our DC) think he did. But no one saw this happen. It happened when we were all out. He claimed to have slipped. And he was dropped at A&E by me but refused for me to wait or come in. In hindsight he was suspiciously quick at getting Xrayed. In and out in less than an hour. He came out with one of those foot shoes brace things (I later learned it could be bought on Amazon). Due to this he couldn't drive for 6 weeks and I had to do all of the school runs, clubs, shopping and chores during a very difficult period for one of our DC. I had to cancel a rare trip to London. It literally came at the worst time. His work sent him flowers. I went upstairs and had a secret cry as I was angry and annoyed with him. But I couldn't think why.
This may not be relevant to this story. But it's a personal example. These people walk amongst us.
In isolation this event didn't show anything. It was only when it became a pattern (and after more serious things which led to psychiatric intervention). When I much later challenged him on this he couldn't deny it but he didn't admit either. He not as bad now but does occasional eyebrow raising shit. DC are a lot older and mostly call it out. We still have contact due to younger DC unfortunately. But hopefully not for much longer!

I bought my first house in 1984 in East London - it cost £28,500

It was on the market last year for £725,000

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DSYRFfXDOEJ/?igsh=MW9reGQ5bmJrOW9iaw==
apologies of this has already been posted.
only just come to my attention.

I dunno about Sal writing more books. I don't think any publishers are going to touch her after this. Yes, she might sell some copies but there's a huge risk if she ever appears in public again that people are going to ask her some very hard questions. And I don't think she's got a 'true confessions' in her because she has convinced herself that all the things she's done were out of necessity, and people reading how someone stole £100k and managed to blow the lot with nothing to show for it are going to be a bit 'hmmmm', surely?

And books that are just a string of self justification won't sell. Nobody cares enough. As long as Tim continues to be hale and hearty I don't think she dare show her face. Her best hope is for him never to appear outdoors again so she can just shake her head and do sad face whenever anyone asks after him. She can keep that up for years.

Oh thank you - somebody knew their stuff there! Thrilled it was Jan Ravens - she was my pic for my parody of TSP as Sal, with Rory Bremner as Tim, David Mitchell - Simon Armitage, Dawn French - every stroppy local.

That provoked a good old belly laugh!

Love how the garden path gets longer and longer!!

Ted Hughes and Sylvia Plath.....🤣🤣🤣

A must watch!!!