The Salt Path couple to raise money for rare condition on Thames walk

The best-selling author of The Salt Path is set to undertake a 120-mile walk with her husband to raise awareness for a rare neurological condition.

Raynor Winn’s 2018 memoir detailed the 630-mile South West Coast Path walk her and husband Moth completed following his diagnosis with corticobasal degeneration (CBD).

In 2013 Mr Winn’s progressive condition was confirmed within days of the couple being evicted from their home following a business deal with a former friend that went wrong.

It was to be what Ms Winn would describe as the “worst week” of their lives.

Yet while packing as the bailiffs arrived, she caught sight of a book about a young man who walked the South West Coast Path with his dog, prompting the idea for The Salt Path.

The book has sold more than 1.5 million copies and a film adaptation starring Gillian Anderson and Jason Isaacs is currently underway.

This Sunday, the couple will set out on a 120-mile walk along the Thames Path to raise money for PSPA, a charity which supports people living with CBD and progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) - another rare neurological condition.

Around 10,000 people in the UK are thought to have either PSP or CBD.

Mr Winn, 63, first began realising something was wrong when he began experiencing feelings of numbness and loss of control of his limbs on the left-hand side of his body.

Other symptoms included short-term memory loss and vision issues.

Eleven years on from the diagnosis, the couple has had to make some adaptations to their walks.

Speaking to The Telegraph Ms Winn, 61, said: “I think the main thing is we are not camping, we have booked places for us to stay at as we complete the walk.”

“In Moth’s case, exercise does seem to alleviate his symptoms, but we just have to pace ourselves more than we used to and listen to Moth’s body, as it tells us what we can do.”

The Winns hope to arrive in Westminster on April 18, where they will recover for two days before walking the London Marathon.

Ms Winn added: “We really want to raise awareness of the conditions as many medical professionals have never come across either of them before.

“As this year PSPA celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, we wanted to do something to mark it.”