The Salt Path — the book, why people loved it, and the new controversy explained

Chrissy Hamlin
Aug 9
5 min read

The Salt Path (2018) made Raynor Winn a household name: a moving nature memoir about a 630-mile walk around the South West Coast Path taken after Winn and her husband lost their home and faced a devastating medical diagnosis. In early July 2025 a major investigation by The Observer challenged central parts of that backstory — alleging theft, financial cover-ups and discrepancies about the couple’s homelessness and the husband’s diagnosis — and the story has triggered publisher/charity pullbacks, angry readers and a wider conversation about trust in memoir.

What The Salt Path is, and why it mattered

Raynor Winn’s The Salt Path told a simple, powerful story: dispossessed and medically devastated, a husband and wife choose to walk the coast, wild-camping and surviving on the kindness of strangers. The narrative blended nature writing, grief, resilience and a redemptive arc — the exact ingredients that turn a personal account into a book that connects with millions. The memoir sold heavily (millions of copies worldwide), won prizes, launched sequels and led to a 2024/2025 film adaptation starring Gillian Anderson and Jason Issacs.

The Observer investigation — what it claims

In early July 2025 The Observer published a long investigation that, in summary, alleges the following:

Financial misconduct: The paper reports Raynor Winn’s legal name is Sally Walker and alleges she took “around £64,000” from a former employer — money that, the investigation says, is tied to why the couple later lost their home.
Different cause of repossession: The book’s account (losing the house after a failed investment) is challenged by documents and witnesses suggesting the repossession followed unpaid loans put in place after the alleged theft, and that the couple borrowed to settle the claim rather than being made suddenly destitute by a bad business deal.
Questions about Moth’s diagnosis: Medical experts quoted by the paper express scepticism that Moth’s widely reported diagnosis — corticobasal degeneration (CBD) — would fit the timeline and survival described in the books; the Observer quotes clinicians who say the longevity and course described is unusual for CBD.
Local disputes over scenes and people: Several people and businesses mentioned (or clearly identifiable) in the narrative have publicly disputed factual details of episodes portrayed in the book (for example, confrontational incidents or physical particulars).

(Observer’s package included multiple stories and supporting documents — it was published across a few pieces in early July 2025.)

The immediate fallout: responses from Winn, publisher, charities and film team

Raynor Winn’s response: Winn (via a statement and later via uploaded medical letters) called the Observer’s account “highly misleading”, has said she is taking legal advice and has defended the books as “the true story” of the couple’s journey. She disputes or contextualises some of the paper’s claims.
Publisher & industry: Penguin/Michael Joseph has said it carried out due diligence when publishing and that it has contracts around factual accuracy; some coverage has questioned how far publishers verify memoirs and flagged the unusually detailed disclaimers in Winn’s books. Penguin delayed the author’s forthcoming title while the situation unfolded.
Charities & partners: The PSP Association (a charity supporting people with CBD/PSP), which had worked with the Winns, publicly ended its relationship citing “too many questions” about the allegations. Other partners and events involving Winn were postponed or cancelled in the immediate aftermath.
Film producers: Producers of the film adaptation say they undertook due diligence before optioning the book and that the allegations relate to the book (their comments emphasize that they had no known claims at the time of making the film).

What Winn’s defenders and critics say

Supporters point out that memoir is subjective by nature: the lived-experience, emotional truth and compression/selection of events often means detail will be imperfect — but the core human story and its effect on readers still stand. Readers who found comfort and connection in the book say the allegations feel like a betrayal but don’t erase what the book meant to them.
Critics argue the scale of the factual discrepancies alleged (if proven) moves this beyond “memory’s fallibility” into deliberate misrepresentation. They say publishers should have stronger fact-checking processes for commercially promoted memoirs, because these books are sold and publicised as non-fiction. Coverage since the Observer piece has used the case to debate the balance between authorial trust and editorial verification.

Why this matters beyond one book

Trust in memoir: Memoir sits awkwardly between literature and reported truth. When a bestselling memoir is seriously challenged, readers and the industry ask: do we need clearer labelling, tighter verification, or more transparent editorial notes?
Harm to communities: If a book’s accounts of illness, fundraising, or people’s actions are shown to be inaccurate, it can harm charities (who may be associated with the story), clinicians (whose reputations or diagnoses are discussed), and individuals named or recognisable in the narrative. PSPA’s withdrawal is a concrete example.
Publishing business incentives: Big sales and film deals create strong incentives to promote compelling narratives; critics say that financial upside can make publishers less rigorous about difficult-to-prove claims. The industry debate now includes whether to change contracts, fact-check routines or disclaimers for memoir.

What we don’t know (yet) — and what to watch for

Legal outcomes: Winn has said she’s seeking legal advice; whether there will be libel suits, retractions, or legal settlements is still uncertain. Legal processes could take months and may keep some facts out of public view.
Publisher action: Penguin delayed the October title — whether the publisher will formally correct, withdraw, annotate editions or launch internal reviews remains a developing story.
Further reporting / corroboration: The Observer has signalled more published material and follow-ups; other outlets (BBC, The Guardian, Times, Bookseller, Business Insider and trade press) have been publishing corroborating reporting and commentary. Expect more documents, witness accounts and perhaps counter-evidence to be produced.

How to read The Salt Path — a practical guide for readers

If you loved it emotionally: That reaction is valid — books can change people and offer solace even if some details later come under scrutiny. But be prepared to separate the emotional effect of the reading from the truth-claims that underpin non-fiction.
If you’re a researcher/teacher: Treat contested memoirs cautiously: check primary sources, and caveat any quotation or claim that may be central to an argument. Consider teaching the case as an example of memoir ethics. T
If you’re thinking of buying/readers’ advice: If accuracy is essential to you, wait for further developments or read with the Observer/Guardian reportage alongside the memoir so you have the contested context. If the book’s emotional or craft merits are your interest, you can still read it while understanding the disputed elements.

Final thought

This controversy is painful for readers who found hope in The Salt Path, and it’s a moment of reckoning for publishing. Whether the Observer’s allegations will be legally proven, partially substantiated, or refuted, the episode is already prompting honest conversations about how memoirs are made, marketed and verified. Expect more reporting and (possibly) legal action — and a renewed industry discussion about responsibility and trust in life writing.