Thread 22 : 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 21 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?

Links to threads 18-20 can be found in the OP of Thread 21: https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5460943-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?

Most recent:

• 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

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 6 months we have done amazingly well together for 21 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.

After 21,000 posts there are still new things to look out for on the path ahead:

• 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, 13th January 2026
• BBC Podcast (NB Not involving Our Chloe)

Keep to the path, no saltiness, eat fudge and drink cider.

NO POSTS PLEASE UNTIL THREAD 21 IS FULL

I'd like something more fulsome like 'You had a lot of weird in-jokes about booze and charabancs and getting left behind in laybys, but your sleuthing was incisive and inspirational'?

A comment early on from our Chloe was that when she first tried to contact them about his health, they told her they were in the process of making a documentary about Moth's condition.

If our Chloe took questions from this group, the group would quickly mine all of the material, leaving her with nothing to reveal as scoops. It would be like binge-watching a show on Netflix, and not having to remain on tenterhooks for the next instalment.

That said: HNTDDD, and pre-Wales...

Fudge.

Did you manage to get sorted by The Observer tech team or were you, like me, invited by @Anythingbutheadlands ?

Or maybe " Stay salty, stay brilliant, and cheers to the mightiest sleuthing community on the internet. May your charabanc always have fresh cider, your fudge never crumble prematurely, and may your threads forever live long and prosper! Yours, Chloe"

I was very proud of the fact that Chloe described us, a few times, as Open Source. She speculated that she can't imagine what it would be like if Tim or Sally looked in at us for a while ...

The Observer tech team never got back to me again - it was thanks to @anythingbutheadlands And @Priorlake who both sent me a link - many thanks

I was amused that she described herself as well as us as being 'in the weeds' of the story -- which I took to mean 'are at the obsessive minutiae stage' rather than normal layperson interest.

Agreed, though. We Know Too Much, and would wreck the plot unfolding of a longform podcast. The equivalent of spoilering -- 'Oh, I love that novel you're reading? Did he get hit by the train yet?'

That sounds like a salutation from the Charabancship Enterprise.

When Chloe referred to this group, and another one that I didn't catch, she said: it feeds through to us. So is someone's job reading our posts? 😄

I'm about to sign off for the evening, but I thank you all. I've been so ill I haven't been able to contribute much other than the odd joke, but some of you have done the most excellent sleuthing and analysis.

It has been justified.

I salute you, charabancers.

Look after yourself and hear from you soon @Uricon2 💐

Take care and get plenty of rest @Uricon2. I'm sure you'll enjoy reading the threads.

Hope you get well soon @Uricon2

Just caught sight of your posting of the "Zoom" link in time, @Anythingbutheadlands , so a big thankyou. My DW even watched some of it with me, so I think she is now coming to realise just how much interest there still is in TSP and in unearthing the truth!
Pity they didn't allow time to d/w the points raised via the "chat" facility.
And yes, I did spot at least one charabanc badge!

The only thing I can think of that hasn't been reported was from a question about their real names and what names they've used.

Chloe saw at their Wales house, inscribed in the plasterwork:

Tim ❤Sal

2025 Oz bestselling books...

If so, bagsie their job if they retire!

Am I allowed to feel a little bit like a proud parent?

Well done everyone.

@Uricon2 wishing you good health.

Thank you @DisappointedReader !!!

Well I really enjoyed being there for that. Yes it was over so quickly, but great to hear of the team of people working behind Our Chloe, and her shout out to our charabanc!

I was biding my time with the question on behalf of you all, and thankfully they picked me for the last question.
@BeaveringBrandymy badge is just 2 ½" across, maybe the camera gave a false sense of its size/length.
@ThisQuirkyRavenI posted the badges at 09:54 this morning.
(I put my exercise clothes on this morning, but instead of covering any distance actively, I exercised my creative juices ability to use someone else's prior work (drawing over a charabanc photo) and made the badges.)
@OnlyAfterwardsthank you for the kind hair comment! It occurred to me to wear it down when the lady in front of me brushed her hair before the show. Although now I've revealed my true identity on camera, I should run away and change my name...

It's certainly whet my appetite for the podcast. We did glean some nuggets of information, and I just enjoyed being in the room hearing CH and the editor discussing it live.

And nice to meet one other mumsnetter there!

Oh, and finally, I saw the London Beer Bike go past me and it struck me how charabanc-esque it was, though it's fuelled by corporate pedal power. Maybe if our charabanc ever breaks down, we can borrow it, fuel ourselves with fudge and noodles, and pedal our way to the next thread. (Stock photo as I can't take a pic quick enough)

This definitely wasn't a sensitive photo, mistakes were made sorry. Had a quick chance to see CH in person after but didn't have time to ask about HNTDDD which would have been my next question

Thank you all so much for posting from the event 👏🏻❤️
Cant believe they were actually going to make a documentary about Moth’s health, but also a pity they didn’t as I’m really intrigued about the lengths they will go to.

Please feel better soon @Uricon2 💐