The firing range is located on Chesil Beach adjacent to the Chesil Visitors Centre car park. The target area can be seen as a concrete structure on the beach as you look up the Fleet. A number of firing positions were located to the south along the back of the beach at ranges of 100 to 800 yards in 100 yard steps. The 600, 700 and 800 yard positions have two concreted rectangles, the rest were marked by stones. There was a concrete footpath running from the farthest firing position to the target area. Much of this has now been covered by pebbles as the beach advances but the target area, some of the firing positions and a length of the concrete footpath can still be seen.

It is believed this range was constructed around 1880 for use by the local volunteer army unit. It was shown as ‘Old Firing Range’ on the 1901 OS map. It is shown on a postcard posted in 1896. No documentation relating to the use of the range has so far been found. The East Weares firing range on Portland was operational by 1903 so this may have been used instead. Aerial photographs from 1940-1950 suggest the range was not used during the Second World War as by then Chickerell Rifle Range was operational and provided better facilities.

Wyke Regis Bridging Camp

This is located at The Narrows in the lower Fleet. It was first established in 1928 as a summer tented camp and developed over successive years to be a major training facility for the Royal Engineers. The camp is part of the Wyke Regis Training Area (WRTA) which also includes Chickerell Camp and firing range.

The main camp is located adjacent to the Fleet. For many years a second area on the hill above the Bridging Camp provided tented accommodation for soldiers undergoing training. Accommodation is now provided at Chickerell Camp located above Tidmoor Point.

The Bridging Camp provides water-based training in raft and bridge building and more recently the use of motorised vessels to ferry men and vehicles.

View from the 800 yard firing point. The 700 yards firing point can be seen and the target area is in the far distance.

The bridging camp showing the bridging hard

Chesil Beach Rifle Range

The Chesil Rifle Range showing the 800 yard firing point in the foreground and the target area in the far distance.

There is an Mod leaflet describing all of the training areas in the south-west of the UK which includes details of the Wyke Regis Training Area, including the Bridging Camp. This leaflet can be downloaded here.

The target area of the rifle range. Now partially submerged by storm-driven pebbles.