Raynor Winn calls Salt Path scandal claims 'highly misleading' amid backlash

Highlights

• The Salt Path author Raynor Winn calls media claims “highly misleading”
  
• Allegations published in The Observer raise doubts about key memoir details
  
• PSPA charity ends relationship with Winn and her husband Moth
  
• Winn pulls out of Saltlines tour but is still scheduled for literary events
  

Author rejects claims as legal advice sought

Raynor Winn, the author of the best-selling memoir The Salt Path, has strongly denied accusations that parts of her book are fabricated, describing recent media coverage as “highly misleading” and confirming that she and her husband are taking legal advice.

The controversy, now widely referred to as The Salt Path scandal, follows an Observer report that disputes aspects of the memoir’s central narrative, including the timeline and medical diagnosis that prompted the journey at the heart of the book.

Winn has previously said that the story is based on detailed notes taken during a 630-mile walk along the South West Coast Path, undertaken after the couple lost their farm and Moth, her husband, was diagnosed with the neurological condition Corticobasal Degeneration (CBD).

Memoir defended as a “true story”

In a statement to Sky News, Winn said: “The Salt Path lays bare the physical and spiritual journey Moth and I shared, an experience that transformed us completely and altered the course of our lives. This is the true story of our journey.”

She added that, due to legal advice, the couple would not be making further public comment at this time.

PSPA severs ties over unanswered questions

In response to the media coverage, the Progressive Supranuclear Palsy Association (PSPA), which supports individuals affected by CBD and similar conditions, confirmed it had “terminated” its relationship with Raynor and Moth.

In a message to its supporters, the charity said: “Many questions currently remain unanswered,” referencing the uncertainty raised by The Salt Path scandal and the need for clarity.

Tour appearances cancelled

Winn had been due to appear throughout the summer as part of Saltlines, a spoken-word and music collaboration with the Gigspanner Big Band. However, the band announced via social media that she would no longer take part in the tour.

Despite this, she remains listed for several upcoming events including literary festivals, creative writing courses, and author Q&As.

A publishing success and a film adaptation

Since its publication in 2018, The Salt Path has sold over a million copies worldwide and spent almost two years on The Sunday Times bestseller list. It is described by publisher Penguin as “an unflinchingly honest, inspiring and life-affirming true story.”

The memoir is the first in a planned series of four books centred on nature, walking, and overcoming adversity. The fourth instalment is due to be released in October 2025.

In 2023, a film adaptation starring Gillian Anderson and Jason Isaacs was shot across various UK coastal regions and released earlier this year.

Film companies respond to controversy

The producers of the film, Number 9 Films and Shadowplay Features, issued a statement distancing the production from the allegations. “The allegations made in The Observer relate to the book and are a matter for the author Raynor Winn,” they said. “We have passed any correspondence relating to the article to Raynor and her agent.”

They added that no claims had been raised at the time of optioning or during production and that standard due diligence was undertaken before adapting the memoir.

Actor Jason Isaacs, who plays Moth in the film, previously told Sky News he had spoken with the couple before filming and described them as “humble” and uninterested in seeking the spotlight. He also called the film “a true, beautiful, real-life love story” and hoped it would encourage empathy toward homeless people.

Publisher contacted for comment

Sky News has contacted Penguin, which published The Salt Path as well as two of Winn’s follow-up works, for comment regarding the allegations now being described as part of The Salt Path scandal.