The Salt Path became an instant bestseller. But, is it true?

When the book, The Salt Path, came out in 2018, it quickly became a blockbuster hit. It’s the story of a woman named Raynor Winn and her husband, Moth, who has been diagnosed with a terminal neurological disorder. According to the telling, their decision to walk the Salt Path, a 1000 km trek across the south west coast of England, leads to miraculous healing.

Against all odds, the walk appeared to reverse symptoms of Moth’s terminal illness. The Salt Path was followed up by more books, and in 2024, a Hollywood movie starring Gillian Anderson and Jason Isaacs.

But ultimately, the bestselling memoir may be more fiction than fact. Chloe's investigation uncovered a past allegedly riddled with financial deceit, challenging the story of how Raynor and Moth lost their home, and casts doubt on the miraculous reversal of Moth's terminal illness. Her podcast, The Walkers: The Real Salt Path, dramatically unravels the full, unshared details of the couple's journey.

This week on Crime Story, Chloe Hadjimatheou unravels the Salt Path.

You can hear The Walkers: The Real Salt Path here.

You can read Chloe's article here.