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 think I missed that. Where was the printed admission of benefits fraud?

@Aussiebornandbred This was from our poster who was at the meeting on Thursday night.

So much to process! 🥵 Trying to catch up!

Thank you to everyone for the very entertaining and informative last few pages of posts! Thank you to @OurChloe for being here amongst us. I can’t express enough gratitude to you for bringing this couple out and exposing their lies. It means so much.
Thank you again @DisappointedReader for your ongoing support of this topic ❤️👏🏻

Hi there @HatStickBoots - I did look and make sure you were around on Thursday evening but as everyone is saying it has all been a bit mad on here. I had a terrific bang in my loft and thought I might be left with just my red shoes poking out under my house! So I hope you didn't sustain any damage from Goretti?

Finally caught up. Nothing new to add but awaiting the podcast with high anticipation. Will it be on the Slow News podcast thing in my podcast app?

I didn’t get any fudge for Christmas but I can share a big white Toblerone with you all, if we can manage to break it into individual segments. My own Wild Pooing Correspondents can offer a chicken’s foot to @TonstantWeader ’s faithful companion to aid his resilience.

Rounds of applause to all the dedicated charabancers and Our Chloe- thanks and admiration from over here. 👏👏👏

Welcome aboard @OurChloe and a massive thank you for your tenacity and perseverance in pursuing the truth about SW and MW. I think Landlines would be worth taking a look at as I think the veracity of this book is doubtful too.

True about Landlines, however I feel that the sterling work done on TSP calls into question EVERYTHING Sal has written and we'd need to be careful about extending the reach too far. Firstly because it seems that @OurChloe has spent a good deal of time and research effort into investigating the claims made in TSP and resources are bound to be finite, and also because it might start to seem "and ANOTHER thing"ish.

Bringing down TSP will surely cause the whole house of cards to crumble - PRH can't continue to sell the series based on the 'unflinching honesty' card when the first book has been proven to be a tissue of lies.

Ooh and I just got a little thrill tagging @OurChloe in a post. I shall now be pointing at the screen every time she's on, saying "I know her, you know. Well, I got to tag her in a post once."

Borrowed glory. I have so little of my own...

No need to be so modest. We are able to say "Ooh, we got to tag Vroom Fondles-Waistcoat in a post", which is also an honour.

I agree @Vroomfondleswaistcoat, so much time and resources have been put into this story so far, @OurChloe has presented her evidence about TSP and it is solid. If we start looking at the other books @AgitatedGoose we might need a fleet of charabancs :)
It's great that @OurChloe has joined us on the charabanc, I'm proud of how bright and shiny the charabanc and all aboard are. @OurChloe has made excellent investigations combined with fair and balanced reporting.

Salray could have talked to @OurChloe in the first instance, things might have gone differently. I think@OurChloe is going to be tagged rather a lot:)
I can't wait to introduce @OurChloe to @Vroomfondleswaistcoat, especially if I can do it James Bond style like @Peladon suggested, I don't think, the name's Socks, Fresh Socks, sounds as stylish

"My name's Boots - Hatstick Boots" could be quite dapper.

I feel I must correct the pronunciation for when I AM introduced to @OurChloe (who is probably going to get so sick of being tagged all the time that she Goes Dark) .

My name is Vroomfondleswaistcoat. Not, as many of you appear to erroneously believe, Vroomfondleswaistcoat.

Full name, Vroomfondle. Possessor of a fabulous waistcoat.

I wouldn't want anyone to embarrass themselves, you see.

Edited because I actually managed to spell my own name wrongly. Forget I spoke.

Thank you for clearing that up.

Yes indeed @Peladon, quite a few posters names would work very nicely. Sorry @Vroomfondleswaistcoat, I had better let @DisappointedReader do the meet and greet, she can introduce you, I'm still worried about what's happened to your pot of ire, I don't want to start that bubbling again :)

@Freshsocks No need at all to worry about my pot of ire. It is currently somewhat less simmery with the news that TSP is now listed as Sal's second book and HNTDDD is coming to prominence. However the merest mention of the CB prize can rouse me to full on frothing and thrashing about and the need to be sedated with increasingly expensive fudge and artisanal cider.

Vroomie is preparing to enter The Pot Of Ire for the Christopher Bland prize. It isn't "technically" her first book, but hey whatever.

I've changed my name for that, so it will be fine. It still WILL be my first book, as Vroom Fondleswaistcoat. Keep an eye open for it in the shops.

I am impressed at quite how distinguished our company is now. As well as the skills of amateur sleuthing, wordplay, driving a multi-people vehicle with the gleeful charabancers messing around at the back, and obtaining artisanal cider and fudge by any means necessary, we have at least a couple of published authors* , some erudite doctors, scholars, and scientists, and at least one yoga teacher (maybe I could get in on the wellness retreat with Sal!?) to lead us all in a calming meditation for the sake of our frothing and stress levels.

*and I for one would LOVE to know your names, because I’ve never got over the time I was working in Lush on High Street Ken and Orlando Bloom came in and none of us served him because we were trying so hard not to drop at his feet slavering, and he left again without buying anything- so regularly sharing a charabanc with someone whose books I’d read would give me a new Famous Person story to bore dazzle my friends and family with 😁

I'm relieved that the pot is stable at the moment @Vroomfondleswaistcoat, I will try not to mention that prize, I have got used to the sound of the pot of ire gently simmering, I find it quite comforting :)

I'm impressed too @DoubtfulCat, very pleased that you are here on board with us and not at the Raymoth wellness retreat. I don't think I can handle anymore name changes, some people change their names more often than I change my socks :)

"The name's Cosmic, Pretty Damn Cosmic" would be great too @Peladon, it sounds like it could be followed by "Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast" :)

My own little pot of ire (“h”lands/gorse/peregrine/horizon-related) is bubbling along quietly in the background.

Regarding names and identities - on the zoom call I was keenly (surreptitiously?) looking at others with their cameras on and wondering if any of those faces were “one of us” 😊 Not having made a badge in time, it would have been good to have had the virtual equivalent of a secret handshake… or to have thought about changing my screen name to something like ABH Lands. Next time!

Hello, I was on earlier threads, have struggled to keep up to be honest so apologies if this question has already been answered and I missed it by skim reading.
The podcast that is "imminent" - is there a date for its release and where will it appear?

The Walkers: The real Salt Path | Tortoise Investigates - Podcast - Apple Podcasts

At the risk of seeming indelicate (which we all know is not like me at all) - is anyone else curious about the 'terrific bang' that @BeaveringBrandy had in her loft?

I hope it was all resolved to..err...your satisfaction, Beavering...

Thankyou very much!