Near Abergavenny test centre
Rated moderate from its real manoeuvre load, 3 roundabouts, 26 turns and 1 signalled junction across 32 navigation steps.
This is an independent 87.9 km practice loop near Abergavenny test centre, taking roughly 40 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, shops and pubs, 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 137-step drive on real, named roads (about 87.9 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.
A40415 m
Turn right onto Holywell Road.
Holywell Road142 m
Turn right onto Hollywell Crescent.
Hollywell Crescent219 m
Turn left to stay on Hollywell Crescent.
Hollywell Crescent106 m
Turn right to stay on Hollywell Crescent.
Hollywell Crescent192 m
Turn right onto Holywell Road.
Holywell Road141 m
Turn left onto Lower Monk Street/B4233.
Lower Monk Street47 m
Keep left to stay on Lower Monk Street/B4233.
Lower Monk Street214 m
Turn left onto A40/Monk Street.
A40201 m
Turn left to stay on A40/Monk Street.
A404 m
Move right onto Lower Castle Street.
Lower Castle Street87 m
Turn right onto Castle Street.
Castle Street319 m
Turn right onto Baker Street.
Baker Street321 m
Turn left onto Frogmore Street.
Frogmore Street57 m
Keep left to stay on Frogmore Street.
Frogmore Street38 m
Turn right onto A40/Frogmore Street. Continue on A40.
A40511 m
Turn left onto Hereford Road/B4521.
Hereford Road385 m
Turn left onto Park Avenue.
Park Avenue195 m
Keep right to stay on Park Avenue.
Park Avenue72 m
Turn right onto Llwynu Road.
Llwynu Road155 m
Turn left onto Park Crescent.
Park Crescent290 m
Turn left onto Deri Road.
Deri Road115 m
Turn left onto Park Avenue.
Park Avenue434 m
Turn right onto Hereford Road/B4521.
Hereford Road386 m
Turn right onto A40/Park Road.
A4043 m
Keep right to stay on A40.
A40235 m
Turn right onto Park Avenue.
Park Avenue309 m
Turn left onto Deri Road.
Deri Road57 m
Turn right onto Blorenge Road.
Blorenge Road114 m
Turn right.
68 m
Turn left onto Park Avenue.
Park Avenue73 m
Turn left onto Llwynu Road.
Llwynu Road155 m
Turn right onto Park Crescent.
Park Crescent310 m
Turn left onto Hereford Road/B4521.
Hereford Road261 m
Turn left onto Croesonen Road.
Croesonen Road52 m
Keep left to stay on Croesonen Road.
Croesonen Road112 m
Keep right to stay on Croesonen Road.
Croesonen Road106 m
Turn left onto Llwynu Lane.
Llwynu Lane405 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 Road226 m
Turn left to stay on St David's Road.
St David's Road134 m
Turn right onto Hereford Road.
Hereford Road846 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 right onto Park Crescent.
Park Crescent601 m
Turn left onto Hereford Road/B4521. Continue on Hereford Road.
Hereford Road377 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 Road442 m
Turn left 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 Road491 m
Turn left onto Priory Road.
Priory Road143 m
Turn right onto Alexandra Road.
Alexandra Road15 m
Turn right onto Ross Road.
Ross Road426 m
Turn left onto Lower Monk Street/B4233.
Lower Monk Street196 m
Turn right onto Holywell Road.
Holywell Road282 m
Turn left onto A40/Monmouth Road.
A401.1 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A4042.
80 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.
A40427.6 km
Keep right to stay on A4042/Usk Road.
A4042945 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit.
1.4 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 Highway702 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 Highway747 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.
A4042157 m
Keep right to stay on A4042.
A40421.7 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.
A4654.7 km
Keep left to stay on A465.
A465118 m
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.
A4651.2 km
Keep right to stay on A465.
A46511.1 km
Keep right to stay on A465.
A465108 m
Keep right to stay on A465.
A4654.5 km
Keep left to stay on A465.
A465190 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 3rd exit onto A40/Monmouth Road.
101 m
Exit the roundabout onto A40/Monmouth Road.
A40930 m
Turn right onto Fosterville Crescent.
Fosterville Crescent134 m
Turn left to stay on Fosterville Crescent.
Fosterville Crescent71 m
Turn left onto Holywell Road.
Holywell Road6 m
Turn left onto A40/Monmouth Road.
A40415 m
Turn left onto Station Road.
Station Road146 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Abergavenny · Route 2 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.
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 66.3 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.
Abergavenny Baptist Church
Continue to Abergavenny Baptist Church.
Abergavenny Presbyterian Church
Continue to Abergavenny Presbyterian Church.
Methodist Church
Continue to Methodist Church.
St Marys
Continue to St Marys.
United Reformed Church
Continue to United Reformed Church.
Argos
Continue to Argos.
Premier
Continue to Premier.
Plas Derwen
Continue to Plas Derwen.
Hanover Chapel
Continue to Hanover Chapel.
Goytre Arms
Continue to Goytre Arms.
Goytre Stores
Continue to Goytre Stores.
Horse and Jockey
Continue to Horse and Jockey.
Jockey Garage
Continue to Jockey Garage.
St Michael's
Continue to St Michael's.
Wain y Clare
Continue to Wain y Clare.
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
Finish back near Triley Farm, 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
1 roundabout · 23 turns · 3 sets of lights
This route is 87.9 km and takes about 40 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Abergavenny test centre, not an official DVSA route.