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Practice route
ModerateLoop

Aberdeen North · School-zone practice loop

Near Aberdeen North test centre

17.0 km
Distance
22 min
Duration
Moderate
Difficulty
57
Manoeuvres
Difficulty: Demanding

Rated demanding from its real manoeuvre load, 30 roundabouts and 21 turns across 62 navigation steps.

How this route is examined

This is an independent 17.0 km practice loop near Aberdeen North test centre, taking roughly 22 min to drive. It is NOT an official DVSA examiner route, the DVSA does not publish those, but it uses the same local roads and junction types an examiner is likely to choose.

Along the way you'll meet Parkway Roundabout, Seaton Roundabout, St Machar Roundabout, Haudagain Roundabout and Scotstown Roundabout. Knowing the approach, lane and exit at each one before you arrive is the difference between a planned manoeuvre and a last-second reaction, and last-second reactions are where avoidable faults come from.

On this route you’ll practise multiple roundabouts, independent driving and sustained concentration. Driving it a few times before your test builds the muscle memory that frees up attention for observation and decision-making on the day.

The loop is anchored by 20 catalogued landmarks, including shops, named junctions, pubs and churches, so you can navigate it from recognisable features rather than a memorised turn list. Rehearsing it in this way means that on test day the area already feels familiar, and your attention is free for the traffic rather than the map.

Whatever the route, your practical test follows the same national shape: an eyesight check, a couple of vehicle-safety questions, around forty minutes of general driving, one reversing manoeuvre chosen by the examiner, and roughly twenty minutes of independent driving following signs or a sat-nav. Practising on roads like these is how you make each of those elements feel routine rather than new.

Treat this route as practice, not a script. The value is not in repeating one fixed sequence but in getting comfortable with the road types, speed changes and junction patterns of the area around Aberdeen North test centre, so that whatever order your examiner chooses on the day, none of it is unfamiliar. Drive it a few times, focus on smooth observation and planning, and it becomes one more stretch of road you already know, which is exactly the kind of preparation that turns nerves into confidence.

If you are practising with a supervising driver rather than an instructor, take it steadily: agree the manoeuvre spots in advance, keep to a comfortable pace, and stop to talk through anything that felt rushed. And remember the basics that apply on every road, mirrors before any change of speed or direction, signals in good time, and a following distance that gives you room to react. Those habits travel with you long after the test is passed.

Manoeuvre breakdown

What you’ll actually do on this loop, counted from its turn-by-turn directions.

21
Left turns
0
Right turns
30
Roundabouts
0
Traffic lights
62
Total steps

Skills & features

5
Roundabouts
20
Landmarks

This route helps you practise:

  • Multiple roundabouts
  • Independent driving
  • Sustained concentration

Turn-by-turn directions

The full 62-step drive on real, named roads (about 17.6 km). An indicative practice loop, not an official DVSA route — the roads and junctions are real, the sequence is a rehearsal.

  1. Depart:

    Drive north on Cloverhill Road.

    Cloverhill Road106 m

  2. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Broadfold Road.

    Broadfold Road277 m

  3. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Ellon Road/A956.

    Ellon Road277 m

  4. Roundabout:

    Enter Parkway Roundabout and take the 4th exit towards A956/Harbour/City centre North.

    Parkway Roundabout90 m

  5. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout towards A956/Harbour/City centre North.

    Ellon Road563 m

  6. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit towards City Centre/Fun Beach.

    21 m

  7. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout towards City Centre/Fun Beach.

    A9561.8 km

  8. Roundabout:

    Enter Seaton Roundabout and take the 1st exit onto School Road.

    Seaton Roundabout3 m

  9. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto School Road.

    School Road256 m

  10. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Seaton Road.

    Seaton Road311 m

  11. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Seaton Place East.

    Seaton Place East1 m

  12. Turn right:

    Turn right.

    15 m

  13. Turn right:

    Turn right.

    5 m

  14. Turn left:

    Turn left.

    57 m

  15. Turn left:

    Turn left.

    74 m

  16. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Seaton Place East.

    Seaton Place East1 m

  17. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Seaton Road.

    Seaton Road127 m

  18. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Seaton Drive.

    Seaton Drive108 m

  19. Keep left:

    Keep left to stay on Seaton Drive.

    Seaton Drive128 m

  20. Turn left:

    Turn left onto King Street/A956.

    King Street191 m

  21. Roundabout:

    Enter Seaton Roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto St Machar Drive/B991.

    Seaton Roundabout43 m

  22. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto St Machar Drive/B991.

    St Machar Drive1.1 km

  23. Roundabout:

    Enter St Machar Roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Great Northern Road/A96.

    St Machar Roundabout74 m

  24. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto Great Northern Road/A96.

    Great Northern Road2.0 km

  25. Roundabout:

    Enter Haudagain Roundabout and take the 1st exit onto North Anderson Drive/A92.

    Haudagain Roundabout2 m

  26. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto North Anderson Drive/A92.

    North Anderson Drive1.0 km

  27. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto North Anderson Drive/A92.

    43 m

  28. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto North Anderson Drive/A92.

    North Anderson Drive513 m

  29. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 4th exit towards Northfield/Mastrick.

    131 m

  30. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout towards Northfield/Mastrick.

    Provost Fraser Drive107 m

  31. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Granitehill Place.

    Granitehill Place163 m

  32. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Moir Drive.

    Moir Drive134 m

  33. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Moir Green.

    Moir Green476 m

  34. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Moir Drive.

    Moir Drive134 m

  35. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Granitehill Place.

    Granitehill Place163 m

  36. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Provost Fraser Drive.

    Provost Fraser Drive106 m

  37. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit towards A92/A90 North/A96.

    25 m

  38. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout towards A92/A90 North/A96.

    North Anderson Drive521 m

  39. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto North Anderson Drive/A92.

    43 m

  40. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto North Anderson Drive/A92.

    North Anderson Drive1.0 km

  41. Roundabout:

    Enter Haudagain Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Mugiemoss Road/A92.

    Haudagain Roundabout32 m

  42. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto Mugiemoss Road/A92. Continue on A92.

    A92537 m

  43. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A92.

    34 m

  44. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto A92.

    A92269 m

  45. Keep left:

    Keep left to stay on A92.

    A92117 m

  46. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A92.

    26 m

  47. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto A92.

    A9280 m

  48. Keep right:

    Keep right to take The Parkway/A92.

    The Parkway853 m

  49. Keep left:

    Keep left to stay on The Parkway/A92.

    The Parkway498 m

  50. Keep left:

    Keep straight to stay on The Parkway/A92.

    The Parkway303 m

  51. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit towards A92/A90 North.

    27 m

  52. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout towards A92/A90 North.

    The Parkway867 m

  53. Keep left:

    Keep left to stay on The Parkway/A92.

    The Parkway234 m

  54. Keep left:

    Keep left to stay on The Parkway/A92.

    The Parkway145 m

  55. Keep left:

    Keep left to stay on The Parkway/A92.

    The Parkway131 m

  56. Keep left:

    Keep straight to stay on The Parkway/A92.

    The Parkway172 m

  57. Roundabout:

    Enter Scotstown Roundabout and take the 2nd exit towards A92/A90 North/City Centre (North).

    Scotstown Roundabout27 m

  58. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout towards A92/A90 North/City Centre (North).

    The Parkway262 m

  59. Keep left:

    Keep left to stay on The Parkway/A92.

    The Parkway60 m

  60. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Broadfold Road.

    Broadfold Road614 m

  61. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Cloverhill Road.

    Cloverhill Road105 m

  62. Arrive:

    You have arrived at your destination.

Directions for the Aberdeen North · School-zone practice loop loop. Always drive to the road and conditions you see, not the list — signs, signals and other traffic take priority.

Local roads & landmarks

These are the real named features along the loop, straight from our route catalogue. Use them to recognise where you are and to anticipate the hazard each one brings, not to memorise a fixed order.

Junctions & roundabouts

Decide your lane and exit on the approach to each of these, get set up early.

  • Parkway Roundabout
  • Seaton Roundabout
  • St Machar Roundabout
  • Haudagain Roundabout
  • Scotstown Roundabout

Stations

Expect busier traffic, pick-ups and pedestrians around these.

  • Barron Street
  • Don Street
  • Queen Street
  • Society Lane
  • Anderson Road

Schools

Watch for 20 mph zones, crossings and children near these.

  • 23 St Machar Drive
  • Science Teaching Hub

Churches

Useful navigation anchors on the loop.

  • St Ninian's Church
  • Dunbar Street Hall

Pubs

Easy landmarks to navigate the loop by.

  • Brig Inn / Shish Tandoori
  • Brig O'Don
  • Rowantree Bar

Shops & parades

Frequent stop-start traffic and pedestrians, keep your speed down.

  • McDonald's
  • William Hill

Watch out for

  • Multiple roundabouts

    Watch your lane discipline and signalling at Parkway Roundabout, Seaton Roundabout, St Machar Roundabout. Get into the correct lane early and check your exit mirror before leaving.

Drive it: landmark by landmark

Navigate by these 20 catalogued landmarks rather than a memorised turn list, an indicative loop, not an official DVSA route.

  1. McDonald's

    Start near McDonald's.

  2. Parkway Roundabout

    Continue to Parkway Roundabout, taking the junction with good observation.

  3. Brig Inn / Shish Tandoori

    Continue to Brig Inn / Shish Tandoori.

  4. Brig O'Don

    Continue to Brig O'Don.

  5. St Ninian's Church

    Continue to St Ninian's Church.

  6. Seaton Roundabout

    Continue to Seaton Roundabout, taking the junction with good observation.

  7. William Hill

    Continue to William Hill.

  8. Rowantree Bar

    Continue to Rowantree Bar.

  9. Dunbar Street Hall

    Continue to Dunbar Street Hall.

  10. 23 St Machar Drive

    Continue to 23 St Machar Drive.

  11. Science Teaching Hub

    Continue to Science Teaching Hub.

  12. St Machar Roundabout

    Continue to St Machar Roundabout, taking the junction with good observation.

  13. Barron Street

    Continue to Barron Street.

  14. Don Street

    Continue to Don Street.

  15. Queen Street

    Continue to Queen Street.

  16. Society Lane

    Continue to Society Lane.

  17. Anderson Road

    Continue to Anderson Road.

  18. Smithfield Lane

    Continue to Smithfield Lane.

  19. Haudagain Roundabout

    Continue to Haudagain Roundabout, taking the junction with good observation.

  20. Scotstown Roundabout

    Finish back near Scotstown Roundabout, completing the loop.

More routes at Aberdeen North test centre

Route FAQs

This route is 17.0 km and takes about 22 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Aberdeen North test centre, not an official DVSA route.