Thread 26 : 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?

[DisappointedReader]

NO POSTS PLEASE UNTIL THREAD 25 IS FULL

Please see the OP of Thread 25 for all the links to The Observer's reporting and podcast series, our threads one to 24 and so on.

After 25,000 posts there are still new things to discuss:
BBC Sounds - Secrets of the Salt Path - Available Episodes
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.

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 excellent podcast series The Walkers (link in Thread 25) 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, especially where details are unclear or still emerging. Remember, even Hollywood rabbits attract the odd flea: please do not engage with drive-by scolders 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 over 8 months we have done amazingly well together for 25 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.

As ever, as we embark on our 26th thread riding the community charabanc, keep to the path, no saltiness, eat fudge and drink cider.

NO POSTS PLEASE UNTIL THREAD 25 IS FULL: www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5485730-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?

Thanks for this news @YourMoneyforFrothingandYourChipsforFree … poor little dog… 😕I really feel for him. I agree with you @NervesofSteel theres something “off” about this. Why even show a picture of snow in May? Surely her loyal, faithful readers deserve a news update that’s real? I now doubt that Sally Walker has ever been anything other than exploitative of animals and people. The Smotyn episode was laid on so thickly that it served no other purpose than to add another layer of heartache to the story. It was a tried and tested tactic which didn’t even happen and I’m still very angry about it. I don’t think there will ever be anything real from these people. Watching the video the other day that Peladon posted was hard work being so full of lies. I hated how Moths illness was believed, despite the incredulity of the idea that he could walk (Landlines) and how once again he was cured and was able to continue walking on to Cornwall … a complete miracle which just made people believe and clap and laugh with wonder, not to mention holding them both in such reverie for having the balls to do it. It seems that people believe (thanks to her) that you only need to want something and you just go for it.

Just a feeling good story about the Salt Path... This chap is posting amazing content about his walk and how difficult it is. How I ever thought Moth could have done it is beyond me now! So far he's raised over £32k for Mountain Rescue.. and he meets lovely people and doesn't snipe or moan. It is such an antidote to RW/SW and thought you might want to follow along in the charabanc. 😍

Would help if I put link? https://www.instagram.com/samrculley?igsh=eHVzNGxiMjR2dWt4

Our Chloe has been shortlisted for Private Eye's prestigious Paul Foot Award for Investigative and Campaigning Journalism.

Chloe Hadjimatheou
The real Salt Path investigation
The Observer
Hadjimatheou’s investigation into the story behind the publishing sensation The Salt Path uncovered a trail of deceit, questionable claims and dubious medical diagnosis at odds with the inspiring story of triumph over adversity portrayed in the bestselling books and film.

https://www.private-eye.co.uk/paul-foot-award

I’m absolutely delighted for CH and hope she wins the award.

Just saw the documentary on Sky and the final revelation from the family left me speechless! What a disgusting pair of individuals. Totally shameless.

The fact that they made no attempt to reach out and remedy the situation after they'd made so much money, is just unbelievable.

I did think that they biographer who gets to do Sally Walker after her death is going to have a field day!

Well done, Our Chloe!

Deserves to win.

What was the final revelation @Charlize43?
( Sorry, I don't have Sky, so can't watch. )

Probably already covered here but it brings together family members who recount how SW stole large sums of money from her mother AND ALSO from T's parents, leaving both sets of parents struggling to pay bills. She seems to have zero empathy or morals.

SW later wrote a confessional letter to her sister, when the theft was uncovered, that began 'Don’t look for the money. I’ve taken it all...'

T's family discounted his illness saying something like, 'he likes attention and would always be making stuff up' They describe him as a fantasist.

What a pair!

It's a good TV documentary. Chloe Hadjimatheou recounts how she was set to do a story on Syria when someone contacted her through social media with the Salt Path story. If you've read all the Observer articles, the documentary is a great visual companion as she visits the house the Walkers' lost, interviews people who featured in the book, the widow of the employer SW stole from, medical professionals, shows us the Salt Path walk, etc.

I'm hoping that CH will put it all together and write a book - it would be nice to have more depth. Aside from the theft from the employer, it seems that their financial situation was in such a mess because T had made bad investments and lost a great deal of money (the house in France?).

BBC Sounds have an 8 episode podcast so I will probably listen to that next...

@DorsetWaver Where could I follow this other chap who is doing the walk for Mountain Rescue please?

Thanks @Charlize43I'll look for the BBC podcast.

For those who have not had a chance to listen to them before there are two podcast series that are well worth a listen. Our Chloe's original one is still available:

The Walkers: The real Salt Path | The Observer

And also the later, but still worthwhile BBC Wales one, which does complement The Observer series:

BBC Sounds - Secrets of the Salt Path - Available Episodes

Oh, and for special attention of @Peladon Someone was thorough enough to delete long distance walker as Sally's occupation on Wikipedia - at last! But, I was so annoyed because someone else has reversed it as there was no link to show they hadn't done the walks. It is in View History.

If I knew how to edit Wiki I would reference the article, in The Observer, where the relatives say they only went away for two weeks at a time like anyone on a summer holiday, etc..... So daft to say her occupation is long distance walker 🙄

Surely now Sal will be describing her occupation as 'Award Winning Author' and long distance walking will just be listed as one of her hobbies? After all, walking long distances isn't exactly going to pay the bills, is it? Unless, of course, you write a book about it.

Camp Miasma at Cannes: This gory, erotic horror movie could finally win Gillian Anderson an Oscar | The Independent

No it's not The Salt Path - although it could be described as a horror movie not sure about the rest! Amused at what was said about TSP in this.

I follow him on Facebook, but he has other platforms too. He's called Sam Culley
https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=sam%20culley&stsd=eyJwcmltYXJ5Ijp7InR5cGUiOiJUWVBFQUhFQURfUEVPUExFX0VOVElUSUVTIn19

If GA is up for an Oscar, she'll be doing huge amounts of publicity campaign interviews.

I wonder whether, among the stipulations typically given in advance to journalists ahead of such interviews (no questions about personal life, who s/he's dating, famous feud with X or whatever,) there will be a veto on asking questions about TSP.

Or maybe not?

I'd love to ask GA if she'd known everything about what is known about Sally Walker now - including the thefts from her mother & family members, if she would have played her differently in the movie?

I think she did play her quite weirdly, though. I mean, I'm not sure that if I rewatched the film now that I'd think 'No, she's way too sweet and wholesome.'

@MulberryBrandy : Thank you for this info All of the relevant Wikipedia pages are sub-par, IMO (albeit that their content is not as advertorial as it used to be).

These Monty dog captions are priceless. I mean this is her:

A few cautious steps, a sniff, and then the slow realisation that winter had arrived whether (s)he approved or not.

She is sniffing the air and using the unsuspecting dog to draw support in order to emerge from her cocoon.

@HatStickBoots is perceptive to draw a parallel with Sal's use of Smotyn sheep. I remember that was one of the ways she had tugged on Ruth Saberton's heartstrings. And when Ruth mentioned it Sal was a wall of indifference.

Remember everyone this is the Queen of Manipulation.

I've always thought that Moth had something of the glove puppet about him. Theatrical prop (like Monty) in the hands of Sal.

This is a great question to pose to her. It must really bite to know that she could only play a sociopath’s version of the truth and not the actual person or events as they happened in reality and that she had not only fallen for it but considered it to be a fantastic role, possibly an Oscar winning one.

That would have shocked me too, it would have been an instant revelation happening before one’s own eyes and something that you don’t quite forget even if you scurry around in your mind for excuses. The way I pictured Raynor Winn was pure Disney.