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The Salt Path

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The Salt Path

By: Raynor Winn
Narrated by: Raynor Winn
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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

The uplifting true story of the couple who lost everything and embarked on a journey of salvation across the South West coastline.

OVER 2 MILLION COPIES SOLD WORLDWIDE

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER

INCLUDED IN THE SUNDAY TIMES 2024 LIST OF 'THE TOP 100 BOOKS OF THE PAST FIFTY YEARS'


Just days after Raynor Winn learns that Moth, her husband of 32 years, is terminally ill, their home is taken away and they lose their livelihood. With nothing left and little time, they make the brave and impulsive decision to walk the 630 miles of the sea-swept South West Coast Path.

Carrying only the essentials for survival on their backs, they live wild in the ancient, weathered landscape of cliffs, sea and sky. Yet through every step, their walk becomes a remarkable journey. The Salt Path is an honest and life-affirming true story of coming to terms with grief and the healing power of the natural world.

Read by author Raynor Winn, this deeply felt, personal tale is a beacon of universal strength.

'A beautiful, thoughtful, lyrical story of homelessness, human strength and endurance' Guardian

'The landscape is magical: shape-shifting seas and smugglers' coves; myriads of sea birds and mauve skies. It's a tale of triumph: of hope over despair; of love over everything' Sunday Times

'An astonishing narrative of two people dragging themselves from the depths of despair along some of the most dramatic landscapes in the country and ultimately finding themselves' Independent

'Luminescent. A literary phenomenon' Mail on Sunday
Sunday Times bestseller, September 2023
Raynor Winn's books have sold over two million copies across all formats and languages, March 2025

© Raynor Winn 2018 (P) Penguin Audio 2019

 Europe Grief & Loss Nature & Ecology Outdoors & Nature Personal Development Poverty & Homelessness Relationships Science Social Sciences Western Europe Inspiring Thought-Provoking Heartfelt

Critic Reviews

A beautiful, thoughtful, lyrical story of homelessness, human strength and endurance
An astonishing narrative of two people dragging themselves from the depths of despair along some of the most dramatic landscapes in the country, looking for a solution to their problems and ultimately finding themselves.
A gem of a book
This is what you need to read right now to muster hope and resilience. A beautiful story and a reminder that humans can endure adversity
Ray's account of their incredible journey is a tale of triumph, of hope over despair
The landscape is magical, shape-shifting seas and smugglers' coves; myriad sea birds and mauve skies . . . It's a tale of triumph: of hope over despair; of love over everything . . . home was no longer about bricks and mortar. It was a state of mind
An inspirational nature memoir for fans of H is for Hawk about losing everything and finding yourself between the elements of sea and sky
The Salt Path is a life-affirming tale of enduring love that smells of the sea and tastes of a rich life. With beautiful, immersive writing, it is a story heart-achingly and beautifully told.
The most inspirational book of this year . . . In some ways The Salt Path reads like the ultimate drop-out odyssey, except that this journey isn't a life choice . . . What the book chiefly conveys is the human capacity for endurance and the regenerative power of nature . . . The Salt Path also serves as a reminder that Britain is a land criss-crossed by footpaths and that we take this 140,000-mile national glory for granted at our peril . . . The Salt Path has reminded me to scrape last year's mud from my walking boots and get rambling again. I hope it has the same impact on millions of others.
Moving and beautifully evocative
All stars
Most relevant
An epic adventure giving time to process very difficult news. The story highlights a wonderful, brave couple who together can achieve amazing things.

The Salt Path

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Enjoyable mosey along the Salt Path with some interesting social commentary. Lovely descriptions of the natural world.

Easy listening

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Both heartbreaking and beautifully poignant at the same time. A story of the beauty of nature and the tightrope of resilience and fragility we walk as a part of it

A delightful read

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This is a wonderfully personal, intimate and honest, true story of an epic walk. Having undertaken the coast path walk myself 30 years ago I am full of admiration for Ray and Moth’s incredible undertaking. We had the option of staying in B&Bs and having a hot shower whenever we wanted. We could visit the quaint little tea houses and enjoy a cream tea whenever we wanted. Having the stress of very limited finances hugely increases the challenge of this remarkable and at times, very physically challenging walk. Ray’s description of the natural beauty, the weather and the characters met along the way show her to be a perceptive observer with great poetic expression. I’m now off to download “The Wild Silence”. I hope someone makes a documentary about their epic journey.

Truly inspirational.... a wonderfully written and poignant story.

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I'm so sad to finish this, Ray and Moth feel like my new, old friends. What a journey! Thank you for sharing with such honesty and so eloquently.
I'm so sorry for the hardships you have suffered and homelessness is now at the forefront of my mind. You are both an inspiration for your love and courage. Much love.

Beautiful, honest, heartfelt, I'll miss them.

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