The Salt Path

TODAY'S blog is inspired by the wonderful book, and now film written by Raynor Winn, and the lessons that could be learned from the story. I have also recorded a podcast to this effect for the non-readers that will be out on Monday 9th June on 'All the things' podcast on Spotify.

The Salt Path, a journey that Raynor and her husband Moth took, when their lives went wrong to the max. It's a tale of loss and love, of freedom and growth. And there really are lessons within if you look, and maybe the lessons you see are different to those that I saw, but here are my thoughts.

(photos taken from some of my runs on the SW coastpath)

Lesson one - NEVER GIVE UP!

They lost their house, Moth had an extreme medical diagnosis but they didn't fold, they took that information and followed a dream. They literally had nothing, yet carried on regardless.

Lesson two - FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS.

One of my favourite things to repeat on a weekly basis, LIFE IS SHORT, do all the things you can and want to while you can, don't wait, you never know what trouble is around the corner, just get on and do it.

Raynor and Moth saw an opportunity to take on a dream challenge and they did it, they had nothing else and seized on that opportunity to go. They had each other and that was all they needed.

Lesson three - LOVE IS THE GLUE OF LIFE.

The Salth Path, for me, is a love story, not just the love between Raynor and Moth, but their love for nature, the sea and the coast path itself. Maybe they didn't know how much they would fall in love with the coast path at first, but it doesn't take long, trust me, my first run on the path had me head over heels, and other times, literally!

The love that husband and wife share is the glue to cement all worries and bad situations, because as long as you have that love, everything else can be mended.

Lesson four - WE DON'T NEED TECHNOLOGY TO BE HAPPY.

When we strip back our life, take away all the layers of stress, worry, duty, need, when we take that all away we are left with our true selves. Scary eh? 

The book was an emotional rollercoaster for me, but it encourages you to get back to nature, leave your phone at home, get out in the fields, the coast, the woods. Breathe in the sea, the elements, watch the birds, wildlife, flowers, feel the seasons.

When you strip back your life, take away the dependency of technology you will have a real life in front of you.

THERE are more lessons of course in the story, but for me, these are the big ones to take away with you.

AND of course, the SW coastpath is now more popular than ever, more people exercising outside, improving their physical and mental health, it's a magical place and if you haven't been then go, because remember lesson two?

If you don't live in Southern England, there is coast all around us, all the path is magical, I'm biased because I live right on the coastpath in Westward Ho! and I have run many many sections in North and South Devon. I even did 103 miles in one go! 

If you haven't read The Salt Path yet, I encourage you to do so, or if you're not a reader, go and watch the film, but I have to say for me, the book is always better.

And let me know if you have any other lessons from it.

Happy adventuring!