Catenary hammock tarp as a forced-to-ground tarp?

I have an excellent Hennessy Hammock catenary-cut tarp. I’m thinking of doing a couple of weeks along one of the resuscitated Old Way Pilgrimages in Southeast England next May. I’ll be starting out of Rochester, walking to Canterbury (the usual end), and then heading backwards towards Southampton. (Think Chaucer. Think Beckett.)

For various reasons, I’ll be carrying very little. I would take a quilt, an inflatable pad, but no hammock. I will sleep in old churches on occasion. The rest of the time, I’ll be rough-camping in churchyards and wherever. Hence the tarp. I’m wondering what modifications I’d need to make to my tarp to be able to use it on the ground as a lightweight tarp?


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I suppose the biggest question would be what is the actual shape of the tarp? And will you have trekking poles? I have a cat cut hex tarp that I have played around with ground pitches for, if you have two trekking poles or two properly spaced anchors to tie off to, an a frame pitch (just like you would have it in a hammock) is really simple. If weather is bad or only one anchor point a hex tarp can be easily hung in a sort of flying diamond pitch.

So if you’re carrying a hex tarp I would just say take extra stakes and maybe extra line. If something different like a diamond or asym tarp then this probably doesn’t help much at all.

Either way definitely play with it at home.

I use an 8x10 flat tarp both hanging and on the ground. If the cat curve is not too extreme, one trekking pole and four pegs could do the trick for you. This assumes a rectangular shape.

I see that Hennessy tarps are hexes. Experiment in your yard. You'll find a way that works.

You'll have a hard time getting it into severe storm mode (all the way to the ground), but otherwise, it'll be fine and dandy. Just pitch it much lower than you do when in a hammock obviously.

I’m appreciating the thoughts, folks.

I’ll get it out and fiddle in my back yard, seeing how low I can get it. The tie-outs can be very short, so I’m hopeful.


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If you're not used to ground tarping, think about rain/drainage when choosing where your are going to set up.

Repeating Ginger Snap's moment, I too think it comes down largely to the shape and coverage of the cat cut hammy rainfly in relation to coverage needed for the conditions. I have a asym Hyperlite Expedition 20D. In HI when I hang often off trail in steep jungle wet side of one of the islands terrain it's not enough coverage to keep me absolutely dry in heavy wind driven HI rain when on the ground as a 6'4" 210 lb ectomorph with IMO above avg ground tarp experience.

Bear in mind camping in the UK is illegal except in Scotland and on Dartmoor. It still happens and it is accepted but arrive and set-up late and leave early and bear in mind that it is all privately-owned. Southern England is one of the worst places for camping. Churches are usually open during the day but are often locked at night.

Happy to answer any questions I can as I currently live there.

Here’s a quick photo of my HH cat-cut tarp staked out with one pole set medium height and one very short pole. The short pole put the bottom end up enough to allow my size 14s to stay below the low end of the shelter. I’m getting some tyvek as a groundsheet, and thinking I might sew up one end as a part-bivy to cover the bottom end of my quilt.

I’m planning on hiking along The Old Way pilgrimage from Canterbury ‘backwards’ towards Southampton. The British Pilgrimages group has specifically arranged with churches to allow camping in their grounds, or even inside the church itself.
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