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Raynor Winn: What being a lockdown mother taught me about family

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Raynor Winn’s favourite nature writing books

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Extracts

The Salt Path by Raynor Winn

Landlines

THE NO. 1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER FROM THE MULTI-MILLION COPY SELLING AUTHOR OF THE SALT PATH AND THE WILD SILENCE 
 
Join Raynor and Moth on their remarkable 1000-mile walk from Scotland to the South West Coast Path in this powerful account of our country's land, and the people that make it 
 
'An inspirational story of love and endurance' TELEGRAPH 
'Another heartwarming odyssey, this time on one of the wildest walks in Britain' GUARDIAN 
'Raynor Winn has done it again. An inspiration' ISABELLA TREE 
'A tale of remarkable resilience and nature writing at its best' i 
 
Some people live to walk. Raynor and Moth walk to live . . . 
_____________ 
 
Raynor knows that her husband Moth's health is declining, getting worse by the day. She knows of only one cure: the healing power of walking. 
 
Embarking on a journey across the Cape Wrath Trail, over 200 miles of gruelling terrain through Scotland's remotest mountains and lochs, Raynor and Moth look to an uncertain future. Fearing that miracles don't often repeat themselves. 
 
But for all the physical struggle, there is healing. And so when their journey ends, they do what they know best: they keep walking . . . 
 
Their journey began in fear. But can it end in hope? 
 
From the glens of Scotland to the familiar shores of the South West Coast Path, this is the inspiring story of a thousand-mile journey and love letter to our land. 
_____________ 
 
'As well as a portrait of a telepathic marriage of true minds, and a snapshot of a fretful island, this is a soaring lament and a tub-thumping tirade - for all that is being lost, for all that may yet be saved' TELEGRAPH 
 
'An inspiring and beautifully written story of hope and healing . . . We, her readers, are privileged to walk alongside her' COUNTRYFILE 
 
'Fans of The Salt Path will love this moving continuation of Raynor and her husband Moth's journey . . . Alongside beautiful nature writing, there are thought-provoking observations on our countryside and the threat it is under' GOOD HOUSEKEEPING 
 
PRAISE FOR RAYNOR WINN: 
 
'A beautiful, thoughtful, lyrical story of homelessness, human strength and endurance' GUARDIAN 
'An astonishing narrative' INDEPENDENT 
'A tale of triumph: of hope over despair; of love over everything' SUNDAY TIMES 
'The most inspirational book of this year' THE TIMES 
'A beautiful, luminous and magical piece of writing' RACHEL JOYCE 
'You feel the world is a better place because Raynor and Moth are in it' THE TIMES 
'An uplifting, illuminating read' DAILY MIRROR 
'Brilliant, powerful and touching' STEPHEN MOSS 
 
*No 1 Sunday Times bestseller May 2023*

Raynor Winn has done it again. She's achieved a miracle, defying all odds and walking 1,000 miles with her beloved husband Moth. But she has also given her vast army of fans - both armchair hikers and the real thing - another wondrous book, full of compassion, humour, insights, closeness to nature and true, bloody-minded grit. An inspiration.

As well as a portrait of a telepathic marriage of true minds, and a snapshot of a fretful island, this is a soaring lament and a tub-thumping tirade - for all that is being lost, for all that may yet be saved

An inspiring and beautifully written story of hope and healing . . . We, her readers, are privileged to walk alongside her

An inspirational story of love and endurance; of trails offering links to ancient times. But it's clear-eyed, too, on the future we're shaping

Telegraph, 'Best travel books to buy for Christmas 2022'

Another heartwarming odyssey, this time on one of the wildest walks in Britain . . . Winn seems to have a bird's-eye view of Britain - a map at her feet, a keen eye for detail, particularly for social injustice. Hers is a voice of empathy and integrity

Fans of The Salt Path will love this moving continuation of Raynor and her husband Moth's journey . . . Alongside beautiful nature writing, there are thought-provoking observations on our countryside and the threat it is under

A tale of remarkable resilience and nature writing at its best

Their journey from remote Scotland to the South West coast Path makes for inspiring reading

Each step is recorded in luminous prose

A captivating reflection on nature and the lines that divide and shape countries and people

If you enjoyed The Salt Path . . . you'll love Raynor Winn's latest book, Landlines

The reader . . . may struggle to keep a dry eye

Winn has a gift for making her account profoundly human . . . In exploring what it means to be seeing a landscape possibly for the last time, it achieves moments of rare vision and compassion

If you followed Raynor and husband Moth on The Salt Path, you will thrill to join them on this epic walk, from Scotland's wild and beautiful Cape Wrath Trail. Miracles might just happen when you put your best foot forward

I like the realism of her writing, about all the practicalities and discomforts, the midge bites, the blisters and the endless comforting cups of tea. All of this is underpinned by the deep love of a long marriage. Winn writes with a personal and passionate appreciation of nature

Raynor knows that her husband Moth's health is declining, getting worse by the day. She knows of only one cure. It worked once before. But will he - can he? - set out with her on another healing walk? 
 
Being one with nature saved them in their darkest hour and their hope is that it can work its magic again. As they set out on their incredible thousand-mile journey back to the familiar shores of the South West Coast Path, Raynor and Moth map the landscape of an island nation facing an uncertain path ahead.

The Wild Silence

The incredible Sunday Times No. 1 bestseller from the multi-million copy bestselling author of the phenomenon and­ 80-week Sunday Times bestselling The Salt Path 
 
'Beautiful, a thrill to read . . . you feel the world is a better place because Raynor and Moth are in it' The Times 
 
'Winn's writing transforms her surroundings and her spirits, her joy coming across clearly in her shimmering prose' i 
 
'A beautiful, luminous and magical piece of writing' Rachel Joyce, author of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry 
_______ 
 
'It was the land, the earth, the deep humming background to my very being' 
 
In 2016, days before they were unjustly evicted from their home, Raynor Winn was told her husband Moth was dying. 
 
Instead of giving up they embarked on a life-changing journey: walking the 630-mile South West Coast Path, living by their wits, determination and love of nature. 
 
But all journeys must end and when the couple return to civilisation they find that four walls feel like a prison, cutting them off from the sea and sky that sustained them - that had saved Moth's life. 
 
So when the chance to rewild an old Cornish farm comes their way, they grasp it, hoping they'll not only reconnect with the natural world but also find themselves once again on its healing path . . . 
_______ 
 
'Confirms Raynor as a natural and extremely talented writer with an incredible way with words. This book gives us all what we wanted to know at the end of The Salt Path which is what happened next. So moving, it made me cry . . . repeatedly' Sophie Raworth, BBC 
 
'Brilliant, powerful and touching . . . will connect with anyone who has triumphed over adversity' Stephen Moss, author and naturalist 
 
'Unflinching . . . There is a luminous conviction to the prose' Observer 
 
'Notions of home are poignantly explored . . . wonderful' Guardian 
 
LONGLISTED FOR THE WAINWRIGHT PRIZE 2021 
 
**Nominated for the Holyer an Gof Memoir Award** 
 
Praise for The Salt Path 
 
'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' Independent 
 
'This is what you need right now to muster hope and resilience . . . a beautiful story and a reminder that humans can endure adversity' Stylist 
 
'The landscape is magical: shapeshifting seas and smugglers' coves; myriads of sea birds and mauve skies. Raynor writes exquisitely . . . it's a tale of triumph; of hope over despair, of love over everything' The Sunday Times 
 
'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' Jackie Morris, illustrator of The Lost Words by Robert Macfarlane

Heartening and comforting . . . The nature writing is beautiful and it is a thrill to read. You feel the world is a better place because Raynor and Moth are in it

Raynor Winn has written a brilliant, powerful and touching account of her life before and after The Salt Path, which, like her astonishing debut, will connect with anyone who has triumphed over adversity

A beautiful, luminous and magical piece of writing

Rachel Joyce, author of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry

Written in wise, unflinching, exquisite prose, this is a different kind of journey - into the past, into grief and also into Winn's search for connection. A spiritual journey instead of a physical one, and, for me at least, an even richer one

Rachel Joyce, author of Miss Benson's Beetle

Deeply personal and spiritual in its exploration of the healing qualities of nature . . . Winn's writing transforms her surroundings and her spirits, her joy coming across clearly in her shimmering prose

In this unflinching sequel to The Salt Path, nature provides solace against forebodings of mortality . . . there is a luminous conviction to the prose

To follow Raynor Winn on her songline back to Cornwall is to know how it feels to walk yourself into the land you love and find peace at the end of the journey

Brian Jackman, travel journalist for The Sunday Times

Winn's soul-baring honesty and beautifully remembered, touching conversations will take your breath away

Notions of home are poignantly explored . . . Her evocations of weather, landscape, the sea and her love for her partner, Moth, who has an incurable neurodegenerative condition, are wonderful

Full of descriptions of dramatic landscapes that make the reader long for the great outdoors . . . an uplifting and illuminating book

Heart-rending. A love letter to the natural world in all its wondrous glory . . . spellbinding

Explores the challenge of returning to mainstream life after homelessness

The Wild Silence confirms Raynor as a natural and extremely talented writer with an incredible way with words. This book gives us all what we wanted to know at the end of The Salt Path which is what happened next. So moving, it made me cry . . . repeatedly

This book promises to take you away with the same amazing descriptive and emotive writing found in The Salt Path

David Atherton, Great British Bake Off Winner 2019

Profoundly moving and emotionally transcendent reading

Unflinching . . . Another beautifully poignant read about triumph over adversity, and adjusting to life after immense change

Intimate in feel and ambitious in scope . . . Throughout it all [Winn] retains her faith in the importance of having an almost visceral connection to the land

This sequel sees the pair trying unsatisfactorily to readjust to normal life before finding ways to reharness nature's healing power

Moving. A must-read for anyone inspired by The Salt Path . . . another thoughtful memoir

The quality of Winn's writing draws us through the story with the same emotional honesty, lyricism and warmth that epitomises The Salt Path

A poignant and passionate, grounded yet uplifting journey of discovery in which we learn what can be found after all seems lost, The Wild Silence is a testament to the transformative power of nature and the fresh hope it nurtures within ourselves

Picks up the story where Winn's astonishing The Salt Path left off

Wise, unflinching, exquisite prose

Raynor Winn's story has become the stuff of legend

Writing with such honesty is a trademark of [Winn's] style

'9 new books to read this September'

Down to earth yet astonishing . . . touching

Raynor Winn is the multi-million copy bestselling author of The Salt Path, The Wild Silence and Landlines. The Salt Path won the inaugural RSL Christopher Bland Prize and was shortlisted for the 2018 Costa Biography Award and the Wainwright Golden Beer Book Prize. The Wild Silence was shortlisted for the 2021 Wainwright Prize for Nature Writing and her most recent book, Landlines, was a no.1 Sunday TImes Bestseller. She is a regular long-distance walker and writes about nature, homelessness and our relationship to the land. She lives in Cornwall with her husband Moth.

Nature holds the answers for Raynor and her husband Moth. After walking 630 homeless miles along The Salt Path, living on the windswept and wild English coastline; the cliffs, the sky and the chalky earth now feel like their home. 
 
Moth has a terminal diagnosis, but against all medical odds, he seems revitalised in nature. Together on the wild coastal path, with their feet firmly rooted outdoors, they discover that anything is possible. 
 
Now life beyond the Salt Path awaits and they come back to four walls, but the sense of home is illusive and returning to normality is proving difficult - until an incredible gesture by someone who reads their story changes everything. 
 
A chance to breathe life back into a beautiful farmhouse nestled deep in the Cornish hills; rewilding the land and returning nature to its hedgerows, becomes their saving grace and their new path to follow. 
 
The Wild Silence is a story of hope triumphing over despair, of lifelong love prevailing over everything. It is a luminous account of the human spirit's instinctive connection to nature, and how vital it is for us all.

(Raynor Winn, 4)

On Winter Hill

PRE-ORDER THE FOURTH BOOK FROM RAYNOR WINN, THE MULTI-MILLION COPY BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE SALT PATH 
 
Award-winning nature writer Raynor Winn laces up her walking boots once more, heading north to complete the Coast to Coast Walk – but this time she is on the path alone. 
 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
 
Raynor Winn is at the start of another walk, about to embark on the Coast to Coast route, across the north of England, in the depths of winter. She should be with her husband Moth, but after forty-five years of walking hand in hand, a setback in his health has put Raynor here alone. 
 As she makes her way across boggy moorland and snowy fells, she replays in her mind the events that led her to flee, and the emotional pull that has drawn her back to the path, like a migratory bird on a journey for survival. 
 Faced with turbulent weather, impassable routes and her own inner turmoil, Raynor looks to nature for the strength to grapple with Moth's absence and to calm her overwhelming anxiety about the future. Can she find the renewed peace and hope that previous journeys have yielded? And will Moth find the strength to walk beside her once again?

RAYNOR WINN is the internationally bestselling author of The Salt Path, The Wild Silence and Landlines. Her books have sold over 2 million copies in English and have been translated into over 25 languages. The Salt Path won the Royal Society of Literature's inaugural Christopher Bland Prize and was shortlisted for the Costa Biography Award and the Wainwright Prize for Nature Writing. The Wild Silence was also shortlisted for the Wainwright Prize. In 2024, the Sunday Times listed The Salt Path as one of the top 100 books of the past 50 years. It has now been adapted into a major film starring Gillian Anderson and Jason Isaacs and screened in cinemas in the UK and overseas. 
 
Raynor is a regular long-distance walker and writes about nature, homelessness and our relationship to the land. She lives in Cornwall with husband Moth. On Winter Hill is her fourth book.

After a turbulent year, Raynor Winn embarks on the Coast to Coast Walk in winter, unexpectedly alone. Despite 45 years of walking together, setbacks in her husband, Moth's, health have led him to see his decline as inevitable, which Raynor refuses to accept. Feeling trapped, she is drawn north, like a migratory bird, seeking the peace and hope that walking brings her. Navigating harsh weather and tangled emotions, Raynor reflects on the mountains they've climbed. Her journey becomes a meditation on our connection to the land and its power to help us remember, rebuild, and reclaim what is lost.

Raynor Winn

A real-life story about triumph over adversity and the healing power of nature

Just days after Raynor learns that Moth, her husband of 32 years is terminally ill, the couple lose their home and 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. 
 
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 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 unflinchingly honest, inspiring 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

The Salt Path

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