Helvellyn Ultralight with Tarp

Having decided to get back into some hiking after about 30 years (when I was a sea cadet!) and I made the ultra lite micro tarp as per your instructions. This was its first trip Easter Bank Holiday weekend 2010 at Red Tarn, Helvellyn.

As you can see it got a good test, when we arrived at about seven pm. We had bright sunshine and no wind with stunning scenery and later a beautiful starry night.

When I awoke at one pm it was a totally different story with a strong wind driving fairly heavy snow. I had put the tarp up side on to the breeze when we first got there so that I would have a good view of the tarn and backdrop of Helvellyn. It would have been better if I  had erected it with the back directly into the wind, but even so it provided excellent shelter and stopped my head being buffeted in the wind as well as keeping the rest of my kit and ruck sack out of the snow.

Two of the guys that I went with also used bivi bags and after initially (light heatedly) scoffing now both see it as the way to go, the fourth carried a massive rucksack with a three man tent that only he slept in , a seasoned hiker and very fit, good luck to him but light seems the way to go to me!

So a big thank you for sharing your information. I think your site is great and has very interesting and helpful ideas. The contacts to buy the materials is also a big help. I will continue to evaluate my kit to keep it as light as I can whilst maintaining a level of comfort for what I want in my walking.