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you mean something like this

Decathlon - Tarp - hikers looking for a shelter that can be used to increase the size of a tent.

more like this http://www.fawns.co.uk/outdoorfurniture/shade_sails.htm but specifically for camping...lighter and more portable.

They are often called tarps (short for tarpaulin, but these days they are made from lightwieght fabrics rather than oilcloth!). There seems to be a growing range of them - Decathlon do one (as per the link above) which offers great value, Outwell have done a dining shelter one which comes complete with poles for some years now.

We have a Weschel tarp (from here) - there is a pic in our profile; on that occasion we had it up between two tents on a very wet weekend last year and it was brilliant! It stood up to all night storms and the only casualties were a pair of elderly porch poles we were using with it, which just bent. The tarp itself was unscathed , on a night that destroyed a few tents.

We have the Zero G one, which packs into a stuff sac no bigger than 12" x 8". It is probably one of our best buys ever, as it is so versatile and we have bought a range of poles and guys etc and worked out different configurations for all our tents. Having covered space outside your tent is perfect for GB camping come rain or shine.

We have the one from Decathalon, linked above, and it is very good quality. Ian is using it this weekend, on a wet campsitein Wiltshire and said itis superb.  It is so versatile, that you can set it up in many different way, and is keeping them all dry and the BBQ will be on later.

He also said if you take a couple of the hiking sticks with you too, that will help in finding more ways to put it up as a couple of extra poles!! Enjoy. 

Cheers  Ratty