Raynor Winn and her husband Moth, both in their 50’s, lose their farm and livelihood after a friend’s investment scheme fails and he sues them. If this isn’t bad enough, at the same time Moth is diagnosed with a terminal neurological illness.
With very little money, and nowhere to go except sleeping on friends couches for the foreseeable future, they decide to walk Britain’s 630 mile South West Path. They have almost no money for food or shelter and must carry only the essentials for survival on their backs as they live wild in the weathered landscape of cliffs, sea and sky.
An underlying theme of The Salt Path is the experience of homelessness, and the reality of surviving day to day with no money. Their experience illustrates how people can become homeless as a result of the decisions of others, and outside forces.
Along the way they meet many others who are homeless, causing Winn to reflect on the way people experiencing homelessness are treated – when people think they’re an intrepid older couple who have chosen an adventurous holiday they are held in awe and treated as inspiring. But if they say they’re homeless and doing the walk out of necessity, people’s attitudes change, and conversations peter out into awkward silence.
The Salt Path is a compelling account of the couple’s courage, deep love and fortitude, with vivid descriptions of the wonders, hardships and discoveries of the walk.