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]

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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

Wooden and clumsy describes it perfectly. The scene with the salted blackberries stands out. And the "you're salted" scene. And the cafe girl who runs ourside, and Grant, and the flooded tent...and and and ...
I was surprised the scriptwriter didn't make them more believable but maybe they just shrugged and thought, well it is a true story so it must have happened that way.

"The thing that happened to Moth's illness is mind-boggling"

Jason Isaacs: The Salt Path has so many stories! ❤️

The film is not neutral. Everyone involved in it actively promoted the terrible lie of the illness. They, unwittingly, used their skills, creativity and power to effectively promote all of the lies - huge theft of the money, retro-fitted neurological illness and the walk itself.

The film's promoters all actively believe it is about love, healing and nature. It is very grubby.

12th July

The claim about being homeless in 5 days is also somewhat ridiculous given that the court case which went against the Walkers was in February 2012 and gave them a year to pay up before they lost the property - and they only moved out nearly 18 months later.

Last night I was looking at the timeline that was compiled on here and started to wonder why the house was put on the market in 2010 before the loan was called in in 2012.

Was the plan to sell it to pay the debt? Any sale would go through solicitors who would have to repay mortgage lender and then the claimants before anything left would go to the Walkers. Was £395,000 enough to cover the mortgage and debt?

Either way, their predicament was years in the making, not 5 days.

I know there are many learned and scholarly mn'ers on this thread... I'm new myself and in awe of your intelligence and humour, but has anyone else noticed the parallels between the SP saga and a certain Scottish Play (they even have the same initials!)
MB and LMB - M +RW
Witches - (enablers) - obs RH/publishers
Banquo - slain best friend (brother)
King - murdered by MB - SA (now headless)
Macduff - hero who exposes MB (CH and observer)
Ghosts - lots to choose from - CBD victims, us (readers who believed), nice people who helped them (Cole, Polly et al), people they stole from..

I really hope the ending does not end like Shakespeare, but surely there are wonderful authors on here who could use the plot to write another (based on true life) story. It almost write itself! I don't ask for a credit, just a seat at the premier and maybe a stick of fudge or two..

I think I said up the thread that in SW’s shoes I’d have been a nervous wreck at readings, literary festivals, Gigspanner gigs etc in case Ros Hemmings or a hostile family member stood up in the audience and was vocal about my criminal past.

In the sense of a disruptive presence from the past showing up to haunt someone with evidence of their past crimes, I think Ros Hemmings is more of a Banquo.

I quite like imagining a vengeful Ros H arriving at the TSP film premiere like Banquo’s ghost and SW on the red carpet, pale and gibbering, howling ‘Thou canst not say I did it! Never shake thy gory locks at me!’ at her, while Gillian Anderson and Jason Isaacs look on and think ‘Uh oh…’

This thread has it all, from Led Zeppelin to Shakespeare via a quick diversion through star signs.

@Uricon2 In the immortal words of Led Zeppelin
It's just a spring clean for the May Queen

'Yes, there are two paths you can go by...' 🎤🎼🎸
Yes Robert, the South West Coast Path or The Garden Path.

@TheTimeTravellersNiece All we all Capricornish on this thread?

I'm not but I can confirm that I am outnumbered by the blighters at home.

And finally:

The lady doth protest too much, methinks.

@Nosaltednuts brilliant suggestion!

I can see it as a Jacobean revenge tragedy too.

"Cover her face; mine eyes dazzle.
She lied young."

I've been wafting in and out of connectivity, had a cosy caravan night on a field. Now back to Christmas preparations, many missions out today. I love Led Zeppelin @Uricon2, I'm going to energize myself with a quick Bron-y-aur-stomp before I go.

Great, we have a soundtrack for Fudge 'n' Cider January! And when the neighbours (mostly cattle tbh) complain about Immigrant Song at full blast again, I'll just throw fudge at 'em and shriek 'Raymoth made me do it!'

Another one for the soundtrack: “Whole lotta fudge”

For the playlist

'Money, Money' (Cabaret)

Performed by Fraulein Sally Walker and M (Moth) C at the TikTak Club

TikTak

Oh no, no, no @Uricon2 ! You'll restart my lab-coat-wearing-swaying-Dr-Salray night terrors again!

Dr Frankensal. Mind you, any word containing the word 'frank' is never going to be a good descriptor.

Laughing my head off here! 🤣
Tik Tak Dr. Frankensal! 🤣 long white lab coat… oh good god… I want to throw the character into The Rocky Horror or The Rocky Road Fudge picture show. Smoke, mirrors, puff the magic dragon and here’s a certificate signed DrFrankensal for the birth of Mothman monster in his silk suit. She’s barking instructions at him:
”Trig point Moth!” And throwing fudge into his mouth when he obeys.

"And I would walk five hundred miles
And I would walk five hundred more
Just to be the man who walked a thousand
Miles to fall down at your door"

Adding to the playlist, Just An Illusion...

"Searching for a destiny that's mine
There's another place another time
Touching many hearts along the way yeah
Hoping that I'll never have to say
It's just an illusion, illusion, illusion"

And Bohemian Rhapsody never goes amiss...

"Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy?
Caught in a landslide, no escape from reality
Open your eyes, look up to the skies and see
I'm just a poor boy, I need no sympathy
Because I'm easy come, easy go
Little high, little low
Any way the wind blows doesn't really matter to me, to me"

Serious earworm now! :)

Stairway to Heavenly End

As we are having a musical interlude I have to mention that the wonderful Chris Rea has died today. This reminds me of an old love and is a good excuse for a seasonal thread singalong (for those partial to one):

Thanks @DisappointedReader , very fond of Chris Rea (RIP)

We could also have ' The Road to Hell (SWCP Mix)' I suppose.

RIP Chris Rea. On The Beach would be very appropriate here.

She's [24], she's [25]
She doesn't know what's true or lies
Where does she go?
Where does she go from here?