Film Review
Enticed by the West Country setting, I read Raynor Winn's memoir soon after the paperback was released in 2019.
I remember it as gruelling, moving, but ultimately, inspiring, so I was looking forward to the film adaptation starring Gillian Anderson and Jason Isaacs. What could be better? A very human story of grit and resilience in the face of hardship all against the glorious backdrop of the South West Coastal Path.

Setting
First, a note about the South West Coastal Path. At 630 miles, it is England’s longest waymarked footpath. Starting in Minehead on the edge of Exmoor, it ends in Poole Harbour, Dorset.
You can, of course, walk this National Trail in sections, taking as long as you want to complete it. But if you're looking for a challenge, the charity that looks after the South West Coastal Path suggests a 52 day itinery. Phew!
The Story
Based on a true story, as told by Raynor Winn in her book of the same name, the film tells the story of Raynor and her husband Moth. The couple lost their home and savings after a business deal went wrong. In the same week, Moth was diagnosed with Corticobasal degeneration, a rare but progressive disease with symptoms similar to Parkinsons.
Homeless, the couple pack a tent and rucksacks and take a bus to Minehead, where the trail begins. Hoisting their rucksacks onto their inexperienced shoulders, they start to walk, Moth dragging his mal- functioning left foot behind him.
It soon becomes clear that the couple are ill prepared for the challenges they are about to face. From inclement weather to unfriendly locals, to judgemental holidaymakers, they are tested to their limits.
But there are moments too of pure joy. Swimming in the sea, watching the sun rise and set, reconnecting with each other - this journey is an odyssey of many layers.
They also meet with kindness and generosity along the way, and learn to work with nature rather than fight against it. And the exercise appears to decrease Moth's debilitating symptoms to the point where he no longer wants to take his medication. One of the most gruelling scenes concerns his traumatic withdrawal from the prescribed drugs.

My Verdict
I went to the film expecting something of a travelogue as well as the human story. Knowing the North coast of Devon and Cornwall quite well, I was confused by the itinerary. Having read about some of the film locations, that is hardly surprising!
Poetic licence was, I believe, also taken with the loneliness of the journey - Cornwall in July and August is heaving with holidaymakers, so Raynor and Moth's apparent isolation didn't ring true.
The film was, at times, unrelentingly grim. But this is a grim story, exposing the reality of homelessness and reminding us that it takes many forms and could happen to any of us.
Ultimately, this is a film about resilience, hope and love as the couple support each other through unthinkable challenges. I left feeling uplifted at this demonstration of the power of the human spirit to prevail in the most challenging of circumstances.
Film or book? I preferred the book, but the film is well worth a watch if you like a slow-paced, gently unfolding story that leaves you feeling hopeful.

Want more?
Buy from Bookshop.org, supporting independent Book Shops:
UK:
The Salt Path, by Raynor Winn
The Wild Silence by Raynor Winn (what happened next)
Guidebooks
Somerset & North Devon Coast: Minehead to Bude - Circular walks along the South West Coast Path by Dennis Kelsall
South Devon Coast - Plymouth to Lyme Regis: Circular Walks along the South West Coast Path by Dennis Kelsall
North Cornwall Coast: Bude to Land's End - Circular Walks along the South West Coast Path by Dennis Kelsall
The Jurassic Coast (Lyme Regis to Poole Harbour): Circular Walks along the South West Coast Path by Dennis Kelsall
Credits:
Film Poster By Number 9 Films / Elliott and Harper Productions / BBC Film / LipSync Productions / Shadowplay Features / Rocket Science / Black Bear UK
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