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?

Yes. At the peak of their scam they were surprisingly keen to show off Moth’s prowess, his miraculous cure in spite of the doctor’s grave warnings. They’d still be doing it now if they could.

Mine is rumbling too now!
That is a very fine list of cakes! 😋

The most important thing to me now is that they both retire from scamming and stealing. No more victims of the Walkers would be the best outcome. Is it too much to hope for? I think they would have certainly carried on, without Our Chloe, The Observer and all the brave people who came forward with evidence. Perhaps more people will have the confidence to come forward in future.

It will be interesting to see what happens with OWH, or another 'next book'.

Unless something else unexpected (and I can't think what) pops up in the interim, one assumes that a definite publication date being announced, or the book being withdrawn, will be the next move.

And if another contracted book is scheduled for publication, then it's presumably a matter of either SW hits the media hard with a big 'Woe is me, I lost my mind, and I'm terribly sorry' scoop interview with a sympathetic journalist (sort of showing up at the Hemings' house, weeping, with a cheque and a claim to have sold her mother's belongings Mark II), or PRH puts a small print run out there, very quietly, with no fanfare or author publicity, to fulfil their end of the contract, and terminates its relationship with her. And possibly lets the other books go out of print if they're not still selling by then.

Obviously, she'd be a fool not to retire quietly on her earnings to date. But she was also a fool not to say 'I did something stupid to make us lose our home' in TSP, and not to do the obvious thing and dial back on the CBD diagnosis in TWS, say it had clearly been a misdiagnosis but they'd done the walk in the belief TW was dying, and add a note to subsequent editions to reflect this.

And, as I've said before, if she hadn't been greedy and stupid about these things, the entire scam would never have been uncovered, or the extent of their/her past criminality.

So I suppose it's perfectly possible, she'll make the stupid decision and put another book out there...?

"She [daughter] wrote at the beginning of January: 'Plan for the year is to ride bikes, surf loads, hang out with dogs and be hot. Much of the same then really.'" Wonder where she got her work ethic from.

@MrKippling , Hi, it has been established that Raynor/Sally attended the John Taylor High School in Barton Under Needwood for Sixth Form. You're right that it wasn't a sixth form college as such - in the 1970s it was a secondary school with a sixth form attached. Some separate sixth form colleges did exist then (I attended one) but not in all areas. We do know (from a local newspaper report of the time) that she was awarded a prize for Art at school.

It's just about possible, at a stretch, that Tim was still at sixth form on turning 20, if he'd done resits or perhaps an additional vocational course. I'd not be surprised though if the story of them meeting in a college canteen also turned out to be semi fictional, or that their respective ages on meeting aren't described in the books with total accuracy.

@Peladon I noticed the same quote in the DM article by the daughter in her SM post 'Plan for the year is to ride bikes, surf loads, hang out with dogs and be hot. Much of the same then really.'" and I thought what a load of vacuous, vapid tosh!

From the same DM article, I also noticed the son wearing a Wales rugby shirt and thought it smacked of the Welsh cultural appropriation which is part of the Walker's behaviour. I remember from these threads that TW claimed that SW was Welsh. I bet anyone proud of their real Welsh heritage will be annoyed by such imposition. I know I would.

I forgot to mention I still (foolishly) still own copies of TSP, LL and TWS. I've only read TSP I have no intention of reading the rest, from what I have read on these threads the books are badly written, self aggrandising rubbish and are always to the detriment of people who SW & TW encounter. When this began I had a vain hope that PRH would do the decent thing and refund to people who bought the books thinking that they were an honest memoir (as in the Frey Million Little Pieces situation) But no this will not happen. The three books are now sitting in a charity shop pile waiting to be taken to one of my favourite charity shops. I am tempted to write on the title page that the book(s) are a complete work of fiction and to refer to The Observer podcasts and articles.

@NervesofSteel if she hadn't been greedy and stupid about these things, the entire scam would never have been uncovered, or the extent of their/her past criminality.

Ellias is cleverer than anyone else (Chloe on HNTDDD)

There seems to be a pattern in Sally's behaviour, in the way you have described. She successfully outwits, makes money out of it, goes too far, is disgraced and moves on/hides away.

The clerk to the court job - that she loses and is never discussed in the family.

The bookkeeper at The White Hotel, who has family to stay but loses that job.

The job for Martin Hemmings.

Haye Cider Farm.

The Raynor Winn empire, in its entirety.

The other side of the coin with always 'maximizing' her employment by making the most of the trust she exploits - she always takes it too far. Is it arrogance, compulsion, just once she gets in that groove she can't stop? Or, does a part of her want it all to stop so she can experience the relief - like in the letter to her late sister.

It feels like she has to retreat to lick her wounds, have some 'time out' but then regroups and renews her strength to focus on** a new opportunity. I firmly agree with @DisappointedReader The most important thing to me now is that they both retire from scamming and stealing.
But, they are always so self-righteous, and Sally attends to Tim with such fervour, that I am afraid there is nothing to expect other than their ugly trade will evolve in some other shape or form.

"Just remember Ellie, remember, this is for him." (HNTDDD by Izzy Wyn-Thomas)

I think they must both be a bit grandiose in character. I agree, they could have tried to backpedal a bit with regard the “diagnosis” (which would have been more lies anyway because it was a completely fictional scene and outcome). I don’t know what’s worse actually, a dramatic “blonde moment” that capitalises on having been stressed, menopausal and therefore a bit “ditzy” which is a huge insult on its own - or deciding with a private smirk and a sly laugh to just go overboard with the denial and sanctimonious outrage that people dare to question their story. Obviously they went with the latter. It’s largely a work of fiction so Sal just asked herself “What would Raynor do?”. Denial also allows the gravy train to continue rolling somewhat because without definite proof or any accountability or confession she can hold onto it. Completely deluded.
I still have my copies of all three books @MrKippling . I bought TSP new sadly but the others were secondhand. I’ve looked through them occasionally while posting on here because the lies and the emotional manipulation of the reader are shocking and I’ve needed to share that.

I'm just reading in this week's Radio Times that Sky Documentaries are showing Salt Path: a very British scandal on Wednesday 17th June. The review says the programme was first broadcast last December, but it also says "exclusive access to OC's findings" and "never-before-seen information and interviews with new whistleblowers" At first glance I thought it was a repeat, but I wonder if it is a revised programme? Unfortunately, we do not have Sky, so we have not seen the original broadcast, and we won't be able to see this one either. Is anyone going to be watching?

More instaguff from her today. Comments open and lots of adoring fans. No negatives yet. One from her daughter: "we are your home 💖For the Team, forever x". 🤮

Pretty convinced the "team" (i.e. the Walker family) are all in on the Salt Path scam.

Thanks - are you going to leave a comment? So that does make it clear - what Alice has said. That's how they have thought of themselves all along .... interesting ....

Front of TSP:

About the Author
Since completing the South West Coast Path, Raynor Winn has become a regular long-distance walker and writes about nature, homelessness and wild camping. She now lives in Cornwall with her husband Moth and their dog, Monty. This is her first book.

Dedication
For the team

Didn't Salray claim that she had initially written just for Timmoth but it was then her daughter's idea to try to get it published?

I won't be commenting. Hope someone does though.

Yes, and even before that ... remember the floaty photo of the enigmatic Izzy Wyn-Thomas, didn't that look like Alice Walker?

I know, I rely on others to tell me about IG. Where is @NervesofSteel - I'm sure there would be a good comment there?

A good comment from someone asking if the boot lacing is a visual metaphor for being back to stringing people along. 😁

De Lulu Walker! 🖐🏻🤪🤚🏻
“These boots are made for walking and that’s just what they’ll do! These boots are made for walking…”
You know the rest.

Nice one!
<whispers but wasn't it Nancy Sinatra? Takes off pedant's hat and goes back to a glass of cider >

😀 it’s ok! I meant Delulu as in “delusional”, which they and their daughter clearly are if they think that they can use the word “home” to describe their family unit. “Home” said with tear filled eyes and a quivering lip before a director yells “Cut!”.

Ah, I was clearly overthinking it and looking for a double reference that wasn't there!

Very clever of you too!

Do we know if there were any other interesting comments please? How long she left comments on, etc?

I don't use Instagram so I'm not really sure about the ins and outs. But as far as I can see she posted the boots pic about 7 hours ago (so about midday), and currently has 61 comments, mostly of the vacuous 'Yay! ❤' variety. Two commenters have jumped on the poster who made the interesting comment I mentioned above, which is gaining more and more likes, and have replied called them rude, sad and a bully without a life. Are these people 12? Or just very, very stupid?

I think it is essential that Raynor is always called out or she will just rise from the ashes, as before. We have had a few run-ins on here - with slightly different emphases on what is acceptable - @DisappointedReader has always been good on this, imo.

We scrupulously avoided naming the children but they have been involved all along, it would seem. I have seen/heard of positive reviews, publicity photos, help with sending books, lifts, etc. The daughter has now confirmed her solidarity with 'the team' and obviously they are all still raking it in .....