Raynor Winn’s memoir The Salt Path was a bestseller and literary phenomenon with millions of people captivated by this true story of financial ruin, terminal illness, and healing through nature. Raynor Winn has since published two more books and The Salt Path has been adapted for the big screen, starring Jason Isaacs and Gillian Anderson.
At its heart it is a simple tale, of a couple embarking on a 630 mile trek in the face of stark adversity. When faced with nothing, they chose to walk.
But when reporter Chloe Hadjimatheou received a tip-off that the memoir may not be the "unflinchingly honest" account it claimed to be, suddenly things began to unravel. And the questions, about what is and isn't true, began mounting.
How far can you bend the truth before it begins to break?
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The Salt Path was the supposed bestseller debut book by Raynor Winn, selling millions worldwide. So when two more sequels came along with increasingly bold claims on reversing a terminal illness, why did the publisher Penguin not question it more? Chloe also goes on the hunt for Raynor Winn’s fourth book…her true debut written years before The Salt Path.
Credits:
Reporter - Chloe Hadjimatheou
Producer - Matt Russell
Artwork - Observer design with acknowledgements to Angela Harding
Music supervision - Karla Patella
Sound design - Tom Burchell
Executive Producer - Jasper Corbett
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
23 Mar 2026
The Letters | The Walkers Ep6
At a motorway service station, Chloe meets someone close to Raynor Winn who’s nervous about coming forward. It turns out she’s another character from The Salt Path…and she’s Raynor Winn’s niece. And she’s not turned up empty handed…
Credits:
Reporter - Chloe Hadjimatheou
Producer - Matt Russell
Artwork - Observer design with acknowledgements to Angela Harding
Music supervision and sound design - Karla Patella
Executive Producer - Jasper Corbett
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
23 Mar 2026
The French Quarter | The Walkers Ep5
In the aftermath of her initial investigation, Chloe hears from a close family member of Moth’s. The story is one of deep divides…and another theft. But it takes her one step closer to understanding who Moth and Raynor Winn really are.
Credits:
Reporter - Chloe Hadjimatheou
Producer - Matt Russell
Music supervision - Karla Patella
Sound design - Rowan Bishop
Executive Producer - Jasper Corbett
Subscribe to Observer+ on Apple Podcasts and Spotify to binge listen to the entire series.
To find out more about The Observer:
Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content
Head to our website observer.co.uk (http://observer.co.uk/)
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
23 Mar 2026
The Miracle | The Walkers Ep4
Moth is suffering from a rare and terminal illness: corticobasal degeneration. Life expectancy rarely extends beyond eight years. But almost two decades after his diagnosis, Moth is still defying the odds. Has he discovered the secret to a medical miracle?
To find out more about The Observer:
Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content
Head to our website observer.co.uk (http://observer.co.uk/)
Credits:
Reporter - Chloe Hadjimatheou
Additional reporting - James Urquhart
Producer - Matt Russell
Sound design - Rowan Bishop
Fact checking - Madeleine Parr
Music supervision - Karla Patella
Executive Producer - Jasper Corbett
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
23 Mar 2026
Cider at Haye | The Walkers Ep3
When the television cameras come to a heritage cider farm in Cornwall, Moth and Raynor Winn take centre stage. Within weeks, they vanished. The farm’s owner, their friend, is left to piece together the disparity between what he’d witnessed…and what Raynor Winn had written about.
To find out more about The Observer:
Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content
Head to our website observer.co.uk (http://observer.co.uk/)
Credits:
Reporter - Chloe Hadjimatheou
Producer - Matt Russell
Artwork: Observer design with thanks to Angela Harding
Music supervision & sound design - Karla Patella
Executive Producer - Jasper Corbett
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
23 Mar 2026
On the path | The Walkers Ep2
With question marks now raised over how The Salt Path began, Chloe Hadjimatheou starts to track down other characters from the book. Did Raynor Winn and Moth ever walk the path the way they claimed?
To find out more about The Observer:
Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content
Head to our website observer.co.uk (http://observer.co.uk/)
Credits:
Reporter - Chloe Hadjimatheou
Additional reporting - James Urquhart
Producer - Matt Russell
Artwork: Observer design with acknowledgements to Angela Harding
Music supervision & sound design - Karla Patella
Executive Producer - Jasper Corbett
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
23 Mar 2026
The Missing Money | The Walkers Ep1
In a small town in north Wales, an alleged theft at a local estate agents plants the seeds for a global blockbuster.
To find out more about The Observer:
Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content
Head to our website observer.co.uk (http://observer.co.uk/)
Credits:
Reporter - Chloe Hadjimatheou
Additional reporting - James Urquhart
Producer - Matt Russell
Artwork: Observer design with acknowledgements to Angela Harding
Music supervision & sound design - Karla Patella
Executive Producer - Jasper Corbett
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
23 Mar 2026
Introducing... The Walkers: The real Salt Path
Raynor Winn’s memoir The Salt Path was a bestseller and literary phenomenon with millions of people captivated by this true story of financial ruin, terminal illness, and healing through nature. Raynor Winn has since published two more books and The Salt Path has been adapted for the big screen, starring Jason Isaacs and Gillian Anderson.
At its heart it is a simple tale, of a couple embarking on a 630 mile trek in the face of stark adversity. When faced with nothing, they chose to walk.
But when reporter Chloe Hadjimatheou received a tip-off that the memoir may not be the "unflinchingly honest" account it claimed to be, suddenly things began to unravel. And the questions, about what is and isn't true, began mounting.
How far can you bend the truth before it begins to break?
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
4.9 / 5
29 ratings
Spotify
4.9 / 5
79 ratings
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