Raynor Winn with Sally Magnusson: Nature and Mortality

The Salt Path chronicled the experiences of Raynor Winn and her husband Moth when, both in their 50s, they were evicted from their beloved farm in Wales. Shortly afterwards, Moth was diagnosed with an incurable brain disease. Against all medical advice, the homeless couple set forth into the outdoors, undertaking the 630-mile long South West Coast Path. After the success of that first book, Winn was contacted by Sam, a city trader who had been moved by Raynor’s story and offered her and Moth a free tenancy in a Cornish house and orchard. In return, they would create a biodiverse farm and revive its wildlife. With the change of life, Moth’s health temporarily stabilises: ‘surviving by returning to a more natural state of existence,’ while Raynor’s own worldview continues to be inspired by the environment around her. In this event, Winn talks to Sally Magnusson about her new memoir, The Wild Silence, which recounts the couple’s delightful peregrinations and surprising challenges while building a life in their new home.

This event was filmed live at the 2021 Edinburgh International Book Festival and was recorded for BBC Radio Scotland. The author took part remotely while the interviewer was on stage, in the venue.