Near Abergavenny test centre
Rated moderate from its real manoeuvre load, 1 roundabout, 23 turns and 3 signalled junctions across 27 navigation steps.
This is an independent 90.3 km practice loop near Abergavenny test centre, taking roughly 35 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 Usk Road. 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, dual-carriageway joins, national-speed roads, 20 mph zones, changing speed limits, residential manoeuvres, busy a-roads and independent driving. 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 stations, churches, pubs and named junctions, 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 Abergavenny 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.
What you’ll actually do on this loop, counted from its turn-by-turn directions.
This route helps you practise:
Road mix
The full 133-step drive on real, named roads (about 90.1 km). An indicative practice loop, not an official DVSA route — the roads and junctions are real, the sequence is a rehearsal.
Drive north.
6 m
Turn right onto Station Road.
Station Road242 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Station Road.
Station Road372 m
Turn right onto A40/Monmouth Road. Continue on A40.
A40635 m
Keep right to take A40/Cross Street.
A4090 m
Turn right onto A40/Monk Street.
A404 m
Turn right to stay on A40/Monk Street.
A401.2 km
Turn right onto Croesonen Road.
Croesonen Road263 m
Turn right onto B4521.
B452162 m
Turn right onto Clifton Road.
Clifton Road170 m
Turn right onto Wyndham Road.
Wyndham Road98 m
Turn left onto Croesonen Road.
Croesonen Road86 m
Turn left onto Hereford Road.
Hereford Road210 m
Turn left onto Grosvenor Road/B4521. Continue on B4521.
B45211.3 km
Turn left to take the ramp.
198 m
Keep right at the fork.
31 m
Turn left onto A465.
A465255 m
Keep left to stay on A465.
A465277 m
Keep left to stay on A465.
A4652.3 km
Move left onto A40.
A40149 m
Move right to stay on A40.
A4051 m
Move right to stay on A40.
A40319 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto A4042.
6 m
Exit the roundabout onto A4042.
A40421.6 km
Keep right to stay on A4042.
A4042133 m
Keep straight to stay on A4042.
A40421.1 km
Keep left to take A4042/Usk Road.
A4042171 m
Keep left to stay on A4042/Usk Road.
A40426.2 km
Keep right to stay on A4042/Usk Road.
A40421.4 km
Keep right to stay on A4042/Usk Road.
A4042945 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A4042/Usk Road.
56 m
Exit the roundabout onto A4042/Usk Road.
A40421.4 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Usk Road.
124 m
Exit the roundabout onto Usk Road.
Usk Road345 m
Keep right to stay on Usk Road.
Usk Road788 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto The Highway.
17 m
Exit the roundabout onto The Highway.
The Highway45 m
Keep left to stay on The Highway.
The Highway701 m
Turn left onto Ruth Road.
Ruth Road75 m
Turn right to stay on Ruth Road.
Ruth Road140 m
Move right onto Caroline Road.
Caroline Road89 m
Turn left onto Link Road.
Link Road90 m
Turn left onto Blodwen Road.
Blodwen Road90 m
Turn right onto Ruth Road.
Ruth Road140 m
Turn left to stay on Ruth Road.
Ruth Road75 m
Turn right onto The Highway.
The Highway748 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Usk Road.
48 m
Exit the roundabout onto Usk Road.
Usk Road720 m
Keep left to stay on Usk Road.
Usk Road151 m
Keep left to stay on Usk Road.
Usk Road270 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto A4042/Usk Road.
16 m
Exit the roundabout onto A4042/Usk Road.
A40421.4 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A4042/Usk Road.
67 m
Exit the roundabout onto A4042/Usk Road.
A4042807 m
Keep right to stay on A4042/Usk Road.
A4042108 m
Keep left to stay on A4042/Usk Road.
A40421.4 km
Keep left to stay on A4042/Usk Road.
A40426.3 km
Keep left to stay on A4042.
A4042410 m
Keep left to stay on A4042.
A4042103 m
Keep left to stay on A4042.
A4042610 m
Keep right to stay on A4042.
A40421.9 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 4th exit onto A40.
127 m
Exit the roundabout onto A40.
A40130 m
Keep left to take A465.
A4651.5 km
Keep left to stay on A465.
A465121 m
Keep straight to stay on A465.
A465144 m
Keep right to stay on A465.
A465215 m
Keep right to stay on A465.
A465124 m
Keep right to stay on A465.
A465384 m
Keep right to stay on A465.
A465485 m
Keep right to stay on A465.
A4654.4 km
Keep straight to stay on A465.
A4653.3 km
Keep left to stay on A465.
A4658.8 km
Make a sharp left.
44 m
Turn left.
20 m
Turn right onto A465.
A4651.1 km
Keep right to stay on A465.
A465116 m
Keep right to stay on A465.
A4657.5 km
Keep right to stay on A465.
A4653.6 km
Keep right to stay on A465.
A465108 m
Keep right to stay on A465.
A4654.1 km
Take the exit.
302 m
Turn right onto Ross Road/B4521. Continue on B4521.
B4521892 m
Keep left to stay on B4521.
B4521398 m
Turn left onto Hereford Road/B4521.
Hereford Road282 m
Turn left onto Priory Road.
Priory Road143 m
Turn left onto Alexandra Road.
Alexandra Road219 m
Turn right onto Hereford Road/B4521. Continue on Hereford Road.
Hereford Road537 m
Turn left onto St Teilo's Road.
St Teilo's Road124 m
Turn right to stay on St Teilo's Road.
St Teilo's Road296 m
Turn right onto St David's Road.
St David's Road134 m
Turn right onto Hereford Road.
Hereford Road847 m
Turn right onto Park Avenue.
Park Avenue195 m
Keep right to stay on Park Avenue.
Park Avenue238 m
Turn right onto Deri Road.
Deri Road115 m
Turn left onto Park Crescent.
Park Crescent279 m
Turn right onto Pen-y-Pound.
Pen-y-Pound99 m
Move right onto Old Hereford Road.
Old Hereford Road953 m
Turn right.
167 m
Turn left onto Llwynu Lane.
Llwynu Lane48 m
Turn right onto Charles Crescent.
Charles Crescent192 m
Turn left to stay on Charles Crescent.
Charles Crescent65 m
Turn right onto Dan y Deri.
Dan y Deri121 m
Turn left onto St David's Road.
St David's Road360 m
Turn right onto Hereford Road.
Hereford Road709 m
Turn right onto Park Crescent.
Park Crescent310 m
Turn left onto Llwynu Road.
Llwynu Road155 m
Turn left onto Park Avenue.
Park Avenue268 m
Turn right onto Hereford Road/B4521.
Hereford Road386 m
Turn right onto A40/Park Road.
A4043 m
Keep right to stay on A40.
A40430 m
Turn right onto Pen-y-Pound.
Pen-y-Pound259 m
Turn left to stay on Pen-y-Pound.
Pen-y-Pound69 m
Keep right to take Avenue Road.
Avenue Road500 m
Turn right onto Avenue Crescent.
Avenue Crescent155 m
Turn left to stay on Avenue Crescent.
Avenue Crescent69 m
Turn right to stay on Avenue Crescent.
Avenue Crescent89 m
Turn left onto Avenue Road.
Avenue Road243 m
Turn right onto Harold Road.
Harold Road154 m
Turn right onto Chapel Road.
Chapel Road294 m
Turn left onto Western Road.
Western Road457 m
Turn left onto Cresta Road.
Cresta Road164 m
Move left onto Knoll Road.
Knoll Road516 m
Turn left onto A40/Brecon Road.
A40229 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A40/Brecon Road.
4 m
Exit the roundabout onto A40/Brecon Road.
A40260 m
Keep right to stay on A40.
A40200 m
Keep left to stay on A40.
A40483 m
Turn right onto A40/Hereford Road. Continue on A40.
A40362 m
Turn left onto A40/Monk Street.
A404 m
Turn left onto A40/Cross Street. Continue on A40.
A40725 m
Turn left onto Station Road.
Station Road146 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Abergavenny · Route 1 loop. Always drive to the road and conditions you see, not the list — signs, signals and other traffic take priority.
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.
Decide your lane and exit on the approach to each of these, get set up early.
Expect busier traffic, pick-ups and pedestrians around these.
Watch for 20 mph zones, crossings and children near these.
Useful navigation anchors on the loop.
Easy landmarks to navigate the loop by.
Frequent stop-start traffic and pedestrians, keep your speed down.
Multiple roundabouts
Approach in the correct lane, signal on the exit before yours, and keep checking your mirrors as you leave.
Dual-carriageway join
About 64.6 km of this loop is dual carriageway. Build your speed on the slip road, take an effective rearward observation, and merge without forcing other traffic to brake.
Changing speed limits
Limits change across this route (20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70 mph). Watch for repeater signs and adjust early, examiners mark you down for carrying the wrong speed into a new limit.
Residential streets
Narrow residential roads mean parked cars, pedestrians and reduced visibility. Cover the brake, keep your speed down and be ready to give way.
Navigate by these 20 catalogued landmarks rather than a memorised turn list, an indicative loop, not an official DVSA route.
Abergavenny
Start near Abergavenny.
Gateway Church
Continue to Gateway Church.
St Marys
Continue to St Marys.
Hanover Chapel
Continue to Hanover Chapel.
Goytre Arms
Continue to Goytre Arms.
Wain y Clare
Continue to Wain y Clare.
Horse and Jockey
Continue to Horse and Jockey.
St Michael's
Continue to St Michael's.
Usk Road
Continue to Usk Road, taking the junction with good observation.
Old Pandy Inn
Continue to Old Pandy Inn.
Rising Sun
Continue to Rising Sun.
Triley Farm
Continue to Triley Farm.
Melville Centre
Continue to Melville Centre.
My Day My Life Adult Learning Service
Continue to My Day My Life Adult Learning Service.
Abergavenny Presbyterian Church
Continue to Abergavenny Presbyterian Church.
Our Lady And St Michael's Catholic Church
Continue to Our Lady And St Michael's Catholic Church.
Abergavenny Baptist Church
Continue to Abergavenny Baptist Church.
Cantref Primary School
Continue to Cantref Primary School.
AF Thomas
Continue to AF Thomas.
Pick A Pizza
Finish back near Pick A Pizza, completing the loop.
4 roundabouts · 20 turns · 1 set of lights
4 roundabouts · 20 turns · 1 set of lights
5 roundabouts · 23 turns · 2 sets of lights
3 roundabouts · 26 turns · 1 set of lights
This route is 90.3 km and takes about 35 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Abergavenny test centre, not an official DVSA route.