The Salt Path

It’s on my list, hillwalker70.

Thank you for the recommendation. I’ve just finished it and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Yes, I read this earlier this year and enjoyed it too.

I heard her on Radio 4 talking about their experience.

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I too found it inspiring,and liked the way they maintained their sense of humour.

I have this on my wish list but am waiting until it gets cheaper! I have recently read the book recommended in the early pages of The Salt Path about a man who did the same walk. It was from this earlier book that Raynor Winn got the idea for her own walk. Sorry, I can't remember the name of this author.

Well, I feel so strongly about some of the comments regarding Raynor Winn that I've taken the unprecedented step of signing up for a forum - this forum - to reply!
I've just finished 'The Salt Path'. It's made a big impression on me and I felt quite shocked and sad at the comments by some individuals that Raynor was 'negative' and 'moaning'. I did not feel she was either. She was a woman totally traumatised, naturally reflecting on this and bravely, recklessly trying to do something to take her and her husband forwards. If she had not expressed despair, exhaustion etc. how could the narrative be realistic? I think critics are missing the most important points of the book, which include how easy it is to become homeless, how outrageously unfair is a system where one loses ones home on a technicality, how British 'justice' is not 'just' at all, how prejudiced people can be - and how wonderful love between two people, and nature and the courage to be at one with it can prove, in life. She and her husband have been criticised for their diet, but if I had so little money I might eat unhealthy favourites and carbs to keep me up and walking, rather than buy apples and lettuce. As to her attitude to the Cornish people, I did not find it critical - she was just speaking as she experienced. This book is a WAKE UP CALL. It makes me sad when people just say 'Oh, I couldn't cope without my daily shower'! Pray you never have to.

I want to read this. Sounds like a great book. Have that couple got a house now? And how is the husband?

I read it last year, yes it’s inspirational, and as undine has already said, it reminds you of how shockingly quickly things can fall apart.
But I admit I found it all a bit reckless and extreme, lucky for them they both lived to tell the tale.

I lead a homelessness charity so for me the content of the book was a familiar tale in many ways. I thought the book was well written and the geographical areas are ones I know so the story carried me along.

I find the majority of my homeless clients are inspirational - to simply get up every morning knowing that when night falls there will be no home to retreat to is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit.

undines

Well, I feel so strongly about some of the comments regarding Raynor Winn that I've taken the unprecedented step of signing up for a forum - this forum - to reply!
I've just finished 'The Salt Path'. It's made a big impression on me and I felt quite shocked and sad at the comments by some individuals that Raynor was 'negative' and 'moaning'. I did not feel she was either. She was a woman totally traumatised, naturally reflecting on this and bravely, recklessly trying to do something to take her and her husband forwards. If she had not expressed despair, exhaustion etc. how could the narrative be realistic? I think critics are missing the most important points of the book, which include how easy it is to become homeless, how outrageously unfair is a system where one loses ones home on a technicality, how British 'justice' is not 'just' at all, how prejudiced people can be - and how wonderful love between two people, and nature and the courage to be at one with it can prove, in life. She and her husband have been criticised for their diet, but if I had so little money I might eat unhealthy favourites and carbs to keep me up and walking, rather than buy apples and lettuce. As to her attitude to the Cornish people, I did not find it critical - she was just speaking as she experienced. This book is a WAKE UP CALL. It makes me sad when people just say 'Oh, I couldn't cope without my daily shower'! Pray you never have to.

It reminds me of a book I read when I was young that probably shaped me politically and that was A Clergymans Daughter by Orwell. It showed how easy it is to go in a downward spiral and how difficult it is to get back up again.

If you enjoyed The Salt Path I can heartily recommend Homesick by Catrina Davies. Catrina describes her struggle to find a place to call home in the modern world.

I read it and thought it was very good, loved the descriptions of many places mentioned on their walks which I have visited. As both Raynor Winn's books have become best sellers I hope the proceeds are providing a more comfortable life for them both now

I read it last summer and found it heartbreaking and uplifting in equal measure.

I was really looking forward to reading this book. Heard so many positive comments.
I must be in the minority because I didn’t enjoy it.
I found the couple foolhardy, gullible , selfish and frankly irritating.
They’d had it all and lost everything. What about the children in Uni? Had they just been abandoned.
I won’t be reading her next book.

Gingster I agree with everything you say.

Definitely a Marmite book, this one!

Am intrigued by post deleted!!

I think The Wild Silence is a follow up book to The Salt Path.

I haven't read either but the are on my TBR list

I don’t think I’ll read the follow up book, the Salt Path was interesting, but I can’t imagine a follow up book can have a lot to say.

The Wild Silence made me think that the author had lost track of her life when she was no longer on the path.

A key element for me in both books was the life-long love shared by Raynor and Moth. So often books end with a couple getting together but this is a story of what happens next, a couple entwined forever through a life that can never be happily ever after.

I believe there is something in Raynor that thrives on struggle and extreme challenges and people who criticise her books often don't share or comprehend that drive.

Everyone in my book group loved The Salt Path. I enjoyed it but wished she had written more about the person who was the cause of their financial woes. It would be interesting to hear their side of the story. I read the sequel, which was ok but not as good as the first book.