Never has a book filled me with as much rage as the beginning of this book did, the injustice of it all is heart-breaking. Ray starts off explaining how a friend for years invests some of their money, it goes wrong and he leaves them as the fall guys. A disinterested judge working with a failed justice system will not accept a piece of evidence clearing them as it wasn't submitted correctly...absolutely ridiculous...they lose the farm they lived on that was their life. To make things impossibly bad Moth, her husband gets diagnosed with a terminal illness. Whilst hiding from the bailiffs they get inspired to walk the South West Coast Path, even though Moth has been told to take it easy and to not walk too far....it's only 630miles long.

The Salt Path...which I would have called "Old People Walking" :-)...is one of the most riveting books on walking I have ever had the pleasure to read, I found every excuse I could find to pick it up to read a few more pages. It is a spiritual journey, a trial to see how much the human body can endure, it raises awareness of homelessness which is far more prevalent than our lovely Government would have you believe. Ray and Moth experience first hand the reaction of people when they learn that they aren't backpackers but are in fact homeless, the fear in their eyes is instant. There are shocking scenes, there is a desperation that almost makes you cry and there is a sense of humour that is charming. They meet some brilliant characters on their walk, a favourite of mine was the man so happy to see a Peregrine Falcon.

This is the best book I've read in 2019, the writing is wonderful and the hope it gives the reader feels really profound. It hasn't inspired me to camp wild though, I'll have to walk between B&Bs on walks of this length. Pick this book up and check it out.

Blog review: felcherman.wordpress.com/2019/11/13/the-salt-path-by-raynor-winn/