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The Salt Path

The prize-winning, Sunday Times bestseller, now a major film featuring Gillian Anderson

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The Salt Path

By: Raynor Winn
Narrated by: Raynor Winn
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One of the most talked about books of the decade, an inspiring true story of hope and the healing powers of the natural world.

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

WINNER OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF LITERATURE CHRISTOPHER BLAND PRIZE

SHORTLISTED FOR THE WAINWRIGHT PRIZE FOR NATURE WRITING

SHORTLISTED FOR THE COSTA BIOGRAPHY AWARD


Just days after Raynor 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, from Somerset to Dorset, via Devon and Cornwall.

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, every encounter and every test along the way, 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. Ultimately, it is a portrayal of home, and how it can be lost, rebuilt and rediscovered in the most unexpected ways.

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 Personal Development Poverty & Homelessness Relationships Science Social Sciences
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Critics' 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
die Geschichte selbst finde ich sehr hörenswert, leider bin ich persönlich nicht mit der Stimme warm geworden, da sie mir überwiegend zu monoton war

Sprecherin leider sehr monoton

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Yes, perhaps you have to get used to the author and speaker‘s voice, but it doesn’t take long. She is telling her story and with it you hear and understand those feelings of grit determination and perseverance, as well as love, loss and humour!
I loved how she wrote and it’s well worth a listen! If you like hiking, then that’s just an added bonus.
It definitely makes you think about unanswered questions you may have and certainly makes you realise how close you can be to losing what you have…

Fantastic

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Loved the Story, very touching and inspiring.

Did not like the Reading. Mrs. Winn should keep go writing and let someone else read her works..
Next Book i will read myself then.

Great Story, would be better, if read by Professional

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I enjoyed the book and learning about the experiences the couple went through; although I found it a bit long winded and the narration was a bit flat.

Informative Read

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Such a good book. It took me a while to get into it or to get used to the voice. But then I couldn't stop listening.
I've walked parts of the SWCP myself and recognized places and situations. It makes me look forward to walking there again, most probably listening to this again...
But it's so much more than a book about hiking. It's heart touching, encouraging and inspirational... about people and life and never giving up no matter what...

Inspirational

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