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Thread 25 : To feel disappointed - and disgusted and vindicated now too - after reading this in The Observer about the author and her husband from The Salt Path book and film?

1000 replies

DisappointedReader · 03/02/2026 23:59

NO POSTS PLEASE UNTIL THREAD 24 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?
Thread 22:www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5470952-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?
Thread 23:www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5475246-thread-23-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?

After 24,000 posts there are still recent, new and up-and-coming things to look out for on the path.
Recent:

New: Up-and-coming:
  • Our Chloe's short video about Raynor Winn/Sally Walker's first book How not to Dal dy Dir - date to be confirmed.
  • BBC Podcast - date to be confirmed

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. The Observer's new podcast series The Walkers (link above) covers most things.
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. For 7 months we have done amazingly well together for 24 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.

If you are posting about a podcast, please start your post with the episode number you are commenting on, for clarity and to help others avoid spoilers if they wish to do so. Many thanks.

After listening to The Walkers: The real Salt Path podcast episodes from The Observer my thoughts are even more with the Walker/Winns' victims. I also believe that the publishers, agent and prizegivers must now act and be seen to act.

As we enter our quarter century thread riding the community charabanc, as always keep to the path, no saltiness, eat fudge and drink cider.

NO POSTS PLEASE UNTIL THREAD 24 IS FULL Thread 24 : To feel disappointed - and now disgusted and vindicated too - after reading this in The Observer about the author and her husband from The Salt Path book and film? | Mumsnet

OP posts:
Thread gallery
105
SableGules · 18/02/2026 16:33

Yes, but she doesn’t name him, his name is blacked out on the medical letters, and he only agreed to speak to CH in general terms, not about his patient/former patient. He can’t. He said nothing specific about TW. When CH described the ‘reversal’ of TW’s symptoms according to SW, the consultant, who confirmed that he hadn’t read ‘all SW’s books’, said that ‘wasn’t something he could endorse’. The only other fact of note is him being from Pwllheli and not a CBD specialist. There’s nothing more he can say.

(I know his name did appear in an overseas newspaper, but that’s not on CH.)

Unless TW chooses to disclose his full medical records, we will never know more.

Freshsocks · 18/02/2026 17:01

We already know all that we need to know, Chloe did not name him, but we know who he is. He must have had some kind of permission to even acknowledge that he was Tim's consultant, even if he only spoke in general terms. He also made it clear to Chloe that he had never come across anyone who has ever reversed the symptoms of CBD or even halted the diseases progress, considering Tim is his patient (or was, I sincerely hope he isn't still seeing to him) he is saying that Tim can't have reversed or halted symptoms.

The relevance of this consultant neurologist coming from Pwellheli is more about his identification, which also links him to the book review. This consultant could have just refused to talk to Chloe at all, but he didn't, he is probably hoping that this will be the end of it for him too, especially as the review has been removed. I personally think he is partially responsible for allowing this deception to continue, I know I'm in the minority, I don't believe that he didn't know that TSP was written about his patient when he reviewed it.

NecklessMumster · 18/02/2026 17:27

Another post on the SalRay Instagram just came up on my feed

SableGules · 18/02/2026 17:46

NecklessMumster · 18/02/2026 17:27

Another post on the SalRay Instagram just came up on my feed

Yes, I just noticed it too. All windswept and wistful. Deluded? Determined?

NecklessMumster · 18/02/2026 18:01

Fox's and buzzards? A video with sounds and her comments. I followed her on IG when I first read her books 🙄 now I get cross every time she posts and it comes up on my feed.

HatStickBoots · 18/02/2026 18:30

Can anyone share a link please? 🙏🏻

YourMoneyforFrothingandYourChipsforFree · 18/02/2026 18:55

NecklessMumster · 18/02/2026 18:01

Fox's and buzzards? A video with sounds and her comments. I followed her on IG when I first read her books 🙄 now I get cross every time she posts and it comes up on my feed.

Worth noting that she he has lost around 400 followers since her last post 12 days ago. Since the scandal she has lost over 3500. So it seems her continued posts have the effect of reminding people they are still following a fraudster.

NecklessMumster · 18/02/2026 19:06

Yes, maybe I should unfollow, but now got a morbid fascination 😊

ThisQuirkyRaven · 18/02/2026 19:20

Did she change her Instagram profile pic too or did I just not notice it before?

Peladon · 18/02/2026 19:41

Reading thess posts with one eye, and with the other watching the inaction over the huge illegal dump mear Kidlington. What a world.

SableGules · 18/02/2026 22:11

ThisQuirkyRaven · 18/02/2026 19:20

Did she change her Instagram profile pic too or did I just not notice it before?

I certainly don’t remember noticing it before. The shades, the red scarf/hair ribbon in the updo. The shifty expression is familiar, however…

SableGules · 18/02/2026 22:14

Is it new?

Thread 25 : To feel disappointed - and disgusted and vindicated now too - after reading this in The Observer about the author and her husband from The Salt Path book and film?
YourMoneyforFrothingandYourChipsforFree · 18/02/2026 23:40

SableGules · 18/02/2026 22:14

Is it new?

No. Been like that since at least July

YourMoneyforFrothingandYourChipsforFree · 18/02/2026 23:47

SableGules · 18/02/2026 22:14

Is it new?

This was 09.07.2025

Thread 25 : To feel disappointed - and disgusted and vindicated now too - after reading this in The Observer about the author and her husband from The Salt Path book and film?
HatStickBoots · 18/02/2026 23:58

‘On winter hill available to pre order’ it shouldn’t be allowed to pre order a book that will never be printed. Shifty expression is right @SableGules
Walk a bit, write a bit… but mostly just grift”

ThompsonTwin · 19/02/2026 06:12

Wonder whether Sal is trying to reposition herself as a nature writer along the lines of Helen Macdonald and Chloe Dalton. Perhaps she will adopt an orphaned owl and nurse it back to health. Rather like Raising Hare and H is for Hawk except it will be completely fabricated (like TSP) although marketed as an endearing and uplifting true story!

Mauvish1 · 19/02/2026 07:17

Well she's already nursed a Moth back to health!

HatStickBoots · 19/02/2026 09:38

ThompsonTwin · 19/02/2026 06:12

Wonder whether Sal is trying to reposition herself as a nature writer along the lines of Helen Macdonald and Chloe Dalton. Perhaps she will adopt an orphaned owl and nurse it back to health. Rather like Raising Hare and H is for Hawk except it will be completely fabricated (like TSP) although marketed as an endearing and uplifting true story!

This makes me wince and cringe in equal measure…. Please no…. 🙏🏻😞 this genuinely gives me a sick feeling inside.

DisappointedReader · 19/02/2026 11:00

@SableGules PRH aren't acting because they don't have to. No one is bringing a legal action, they presumably haven't had any loss of earnings from TSP and its sequels (rather the opposite), or significant reputational damage. There are no significant stakes.

Morning all. I hope you are well today.

I'd be interested to hear whether or not anyone believes there has been significant or any reputational damage for Penguin?

OP posts:
SaltyTea · 19/02/2026 11:49

I do wonder about the people dragged into this by association such as Angela Harding, Gillian Anderson and Jeremy Isaac's (plus others behind the scene). They can't be best pleased so have to keep fielding questions about TSP. There is a definite trend for film rights to be sold for books such as this, and I would have thought it might give some pause for thought. This may be wishful thinking though.

SaltyTea · 19/02/2026 11:51

On Tuesday evening CH said they had been trying to get the story out before the film was released but they couldn't quite manage it. I wonder if that would have made a difference / led to the release being pulled.

RainyTuesdaysAndSunnyWednesdays · 19/02/2026 13:23

ThompsonTwin · 19/02/2026 06:12

Wonder whether Sal is trying to reposition herself as a nature writer along the lines of Helen Macdonald and Chloe Dalton. Perhaps she will adopt an orphaned owl and nurse it back to health. Rather like Raising Hare and H is for Hawk except it will be completely fabricated (like TSP) although marketed as an endearing and uplifting true story!

According to her Instagram feed, she did feed orphan owl chicks in June / July 2024. Two chicks were in a nest box, Mum died and Dad couldn't keep up with feeding and then he disappeared, so they were supplying the chick's with defrosted mice. Or so SW says.

BrandyAndLovage · 19/02/2026 14:37

DisappointedReader · 19/02/2026 11:00

@SableGules PRH aren't acting because they don't have to. No one is bringing a legal action, they presumably haven't had any loss of earnings from TSP and its sequels (rather the opposite), or significant reputational damage. There are no significant stakes.

Morning all. I hope you are well today.

I'd be interested to hear whether or not anyone believes there has been significant or any reputational damage for Penguin?

Once upon a time there were two penguins. Both of them were looked upon fondly by consumers in the UK for many years. But there were tumultuous times ahead and in 2025 there was turmoil in the world of penguins :

The Penguin biscuit
For milk chocolate to be classified as such, UK regulations say it should be made up of about 20% cocoa solids, slightly lower than EU regulations which stipulate a minimum of 25%.

The Penguin book
So do UK regulations say that a memoir should be made up of 20% verifiable truth only - do Australian regulations stipulate a higher percentage? Why is a publisher claiming unverified medical miracles in the marketing when they have been fined in Australia for the same?

The Raynor Winn books are like saying on the wrapper this couple walked 630 miles but inside you can read that they didn't - but that is what it is! So are we accepting that readers of memoirs should be treated more cheaply than consumers of chocolate biscuits - sorry chocolate flavour?

Penguin and Club bars can no longer be described as chocolate - BBC News

A large wrapper/packaging with the word 'PENGUIN' displayed in large blue letters. The McVitie's logo appears in the top left corner.  Below the main pack are four individually wrapped biscuits, each featuring illustrations of a cartoon penguin holding...

Penguin and Club bars can no longer be described as chocolate

The rising cost of cocoa has led to the manufacturers changing their recipe.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c86737yg3jlo

Vroomfondleswaistcoat · 19/02/2026 17:07

HatStickBoots · 18/02/2026 08:25

Thank you so much @BrandyAndLovage snd @Anythingbutheadlands
That was a very good point about the royalties being stopped… but I just don’t see how that could legally happen all the time fresh copies are being sold. The thing to do would be to withdraw them from sale or very simply re-market them as fiction. All the time she is determined to call it truth though, they have a problem. I find this sort of thing really gutless. It’s obvious there are false medical claims in these books. The fact that she is a vile person is secondary to those false claims. If that alone was dealt with it would be an achievement. I don’t see why Penguin are not very publicly dropping her. Isn’t she exploiting the terminally ill and homeless? Isn’t that a good enough reason to say goodbye and tear the contract up?

I don't think royalties could be withheld - after all, they are simply paying her for work she has done. We might not like the work, but if people are willing to buy it, then it wouldn't be fair to not pay Sal. The real job is to cut off royalties by persuading people not to buy the books.

Sal might be a vile person, but most authors wouldn't stand up to scrutiny if sainthoods were being handed out... So I think we have to concentrate not on how dreadful a person she is, but the damage that she has done and continues to do to others.

HatStickBoots · 19/02/2026 18:17

Vroomfondleswaistcoat · 19/02/2026 17:07

I don't think royalties could be withheld - after all, they are simply paying her for work she has done. We might not like the work, but if people are willing to buy it, then it wouldn't be fair to not pay Sal. The real job is to cut off royalties by persuading people not to buy the books.

Sal might be a vile person, but most authors wouldn't stand up to scrutiny if sainthoods were being handed out... So I think we have to concentrate not on how dreadful a person she is, but the damage that she has done and continues to do to others.

Well that’s exactly what I said in my post, that her exploitation of the terminally ill and homeless is reason enough to kick her off the bookshelf.

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