Moth Winn was diagnosed with a terminal illness at the age of 53 and in the same week he and his wife, Raynor, lost their house. While the bailiffs arrived, the couple made a remarkable decision: to take a 630-year-old coastal walk from Somerset to Dorset, via Devon and Cornwall.
Their journey was told for the first time in Raynor Winn’s bestseller memoirs The salt pathwhich has now been made a film. In the Zoutpad Gillian Anderson and Jason Isaacs are the hardships and hope that the couple experienced while they walked through sunshine and storms with little more than a tent and a handful of money.
But their walk is part of a much older story. Without realizing it, Raynor and Moth joined an age -old tradition of searching for healing and transformation along the southwest coast.
In the 19th century people traveled to the coast because doctors believed Sea -air and sea water can treat disease. This idea became known as “Change of air” Treatment and on a large scale prescribed to urban patients with “nervous disorders”, such as stomach pain and breast problems. These Seaside visits were conceived as a form of medicine.
Jason Isaacs (L to R), Raynor Winn, Moth Winn and Gillian Anderson on the south coast while filming the Zoutpad. [Photo: Steve Tanner/Black Bear]The western edge of England
The Southwest coast path Is the longest national path of the UK. The route has more than 115,000 foot climb and descent – the equivalent of the scales of Mount Everest four times. It was officially protected in 1973 to maintain and improve access to the path and now attracts nearly 9 million visitors every year. But its origin lies in the working life of the locals, especially coast guards who look at smugglers and fishermen after Pilchard Shoals.
In the 19th century, the region also became one Destination for domestic tourists. It was made more accessible because passenger lines were extended to places such as Plymouth and Penzance. Some visitors walked to explore unknown landscapes, while others did this on medical advice.
The Coast cities Penzance and Torquay emerged as health resorts and against the First World War they were known as “Havens for invalories.” Between 1800 and 1854, the population of Torquay grew from 800 to 14,000Usually consisting of medical residents with a temporary stay.
Healing in the elements
Mot was set before the walk Corticobasal degeneration (CBD) After seeing a doctor about shoulder pain and vibrations. CBD is a rare degenerative disorder that influences the brain and gradually leads to difficulties with movement, speech, memory and swallowing.
When he started the walk, Moth’s mobility had deteriorated and experienced serious pain and numbness in his left leg. For the first half of the film, Jason Isaacs drags his foot along the ground to show this physical tension. The challenge to walk was made harder by the rugged terrain – stabbed hills, whimsical rocks and hard winds.
While Moth and Raynor walked, something unexpected happened. The symptoms of Moth began to facilitate, improved his condition and eventually stopped taking pain relief. He believed that the change was linked to the regular movement and the feeling of goal that the walk gave them during a gloomy period. He described walking as a healing force that offered him a new one, without a permit.
The idea that running on the coast could have healing properties has deep roots. In the 19th century, Walking was considered usefulBut the emphasis was on soft movement in clean air instead of endurance due to rough landscapes. The air of Devon and Cornwall was praised for his soothing qualities And the climate for its warmth in the winter. Town planners even Built flat promenades In cities aan Zee to make walking more accessible to people with chronic diseases and low mobility.
Spending time outside was mainly considered valuable for people suffering from tuberculosis. Before tuberculosis it was known that it was caused by bacteria, medical experts blamed it poor smelling air. Doctors suggested that city dwellers who suffer with chest pain remove themselves from these dirty atmospheres and immerse themselves in the clean, salt smell on the coast.
Nature plays a central role in the salt path. The effect on the body is seen in Gillian Anderson’s sun -switched cheeks and the wind in the wind. The sounds of birds and the sea accompany panoramic drone recordings of the cliffs. The sea is an important character.
Arriving at Minehead, the Winns take a photo to start their journey: from “the three of us”, the couple and the sea. Victorian travel writers were also on it in the southwest, “The pedestrian should never wander more than a stone’s throw from the sea.”
When Moth swims in the sea, he is enabled in his own body and can move without limitation. The coast has had health connectations since the 19700s. In the 18th century, doctors claimed that sudden immersion in cold, salty and turbulent waters Therapeutic value for chronic illness. Nowadays, open swimming remains a popular practice in the southwest and is praised are mental and physical health benefits.
As the film ends, we learn that 12 years after their walk -mot still lives with CBD and The couple still uses long -distance walks To treat his symptoms.
This disease experience finds resonance in older practices and reminds us that healing can sometimes be found outside of clinical spaces. While the reasons for walking often change, the connection between place, body and well -being includes centuries. The Zoutpad tells a deep personal story, but also remains a long cultural history of looking at the coastline for recovery and innovation.
Lena Ferriday is a teacher in the history of science and the environment King’s College London.
This article has been re -published from The conversation Under a Creative Commons license. Read the Original article.
#southwest #coast #England #healing #refuge #centuries