Near Aberystwyth (Park Avenue) test centre
Rated easy from its real manoeuvre load, 3 roundabouts, 15 turns and 1 signalled junction across 21 navigation steps.
This is an independent 27.0 km practice route near Aberystwyth (Park Avenue) test centre, taking roughly 30 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.
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 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 stations, churches, schools and shops, 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 Aberystwyth (Park Avenue) 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 73-step drive on real, named roads (about 27.0 km). An indicative practice loop, not an official DVSA route — the roads and junctions are real, the sequence is a rehearsal.
Drive northwest.
47 m
Move left onto Riverside Terrace.
Riverside Terrace209 m
Turn right onto A487/Mill Street.
A487211 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto A487/Alexandra Road.
29 m
Exit the roundabout onto A487/Alexandra Road.
A487115 m
Turn left onto A487/Terrace Road.
A487122 m
Turn right onto A487/Terrace Road. Continue on A487.
A487181 m
Turn right to stay on A487.
A487128 m
Turn right onto A487/Alexandra Road.
A48781 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A487/Alexandra Road.
40 m
Exit the roundabout onto A487/Alexandra Road.
A487194 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A487/Mill Street.
21 m
Exit the roundabout onto A487/Mill Street.
A487229 m
Turn right onto Bridge Street/B4346.
Bridge Street241 m
Turn right onto Great Darkgate Street/B4346.
Great Darkgate Street4.2 km
Move right.
833 m
Turn right onto A4159.
A41592.4 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A44.
51 m
Exit the roundabout onto A44.
A443.5 km
Turn left onto A44/Rhes-Y-Bont / Bridge Terrace.
A4445 m
Turn right onto A44/Ffordd Sulien. Continue on A44.
A441.6 km
Turn right onto A487/Penglais Road.
A487236 m
Turn right onto Ffordd Caradog / Caradoc Road.
Ffordd Caradog / Caradoc Road90 m
Turn right onto Caradoc Road.
Caradoc Road125 m
Turn left onto A44/Llanbadarn Road. Continue on A44.
A441.1 km
Move left onto Heol-Y-Llan.
Heol-Y-Llan260 m
Turn right onto Rhiw Brialli / Primrose Hill.
Rhiw Brialli / Primrose Hill64 m
Turn right onto A44/Rhes-Y-Bont / Bridge Terrace.
A4445 m
Turn left onto Heol-y-Bont/A4120.
Heol-y-Bont579 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Heol-y-Bont/A4120.
11 m
Exit the roundabout onto Heol-y-Bont/A4120. Continue on A4120.
A4120607 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A487/Penparcau Road.
23 m
Exit the roundabout onto A487/Penparcau Road.
A4871.9 km
Turn right onto Gray's Inn Road.
Gray's Inn Road169 m
Turn right onto Chalybeate Street.
Chalybeate Street11 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A487/Mill Street.
28 m
Exit the roundabout onto A487/Mill Street.
A487210 m
Keep left to stay on A487.
A4871.2 km
Turn left onto Second Avenue.
Second Avenue175 m
Turn left onto Fifth Avenue.
Fifth Avenue213 m
Turn left onto Plas Helyg.
Plas Helyg146 m
Turn left onto A487/Penparcau Road. Continue on A487.
A487377 m
Turn left onto Third Avenue.
Third Avenue116 m
Turn left onto Fourth Avenue.
Fourth Avenue172 m
Turn left onto Second Avenue.
Second Avenue82 m
Turn right onto A487/Penparcau Road.
A4871.2 km
Turn left onto South Road.
South Road308 m
Turn left onto South Marine Terrace.
South Marine Terrace151 m
Turn left.
34 m
Turn left onto Quay Road.
Quay Road147 m
Turn right onto Castle Terrace.
Castle Terrace206 m
Turn left onto High Street.
High Street149 m
Move right onto Stryd yr Efail.
Stryd yr Efail10 m
Turn right onto Princess Street.
Princess Street70 m
Turn left onto Bridge Street/B4346. Continue on B4346.
B434659 m
Turn left onto Pier Street/B4346.
Pier Street172 m
Turn left onto New Promenade.
New Promenade370 m
Turn left onto Rhodfa Newydd / New Promenade.
Rhodfa Newydd / New Promenade229 m
Turn left onto South Road.
South Road46 m
Move left onto Castle Terrace.
Castle Terrace206 m
Turn left onto High Street.
High Street149 m
Move right onto Stryd yr Efail.
Stryd yr Efail10 m
Turn right onto Princess Street.
Princess Street70 m
Turn left onto Bridge Street/B4346.
Bridge Street51 m
Turn right onto Great Darkgate Street/B4346. Continue on Great Darkgate Street.
Great Darkgate Street186 m
Turn right onto Chalybeate Street.
Chalybeate Street150 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto A487/Alexandra Road.
7 m
Exit the roundabout onto A487/Alexandra Road.
A487115 m
Turn left onto A487/Terrace Road.
A487122 m
Turn right onto A487/Terrace Road. Continue on A487.
A487181 m
Turn right to stay on A487.
A487128 m
Turn right onto A487/Alexandra Road.
A48769 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Aberystwyth (Park Avenue) · 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.
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 17.1 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 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.
Aberystwyth Bus Station
Start near Aberystwyth Bus Station.
Seion
Continue to Seion.
Healthcare Education Centre
Continue to Healthcare Education Centre.
Visualisation Centre
Continue to Visualisation Centre.
Capel Dewi Garage
Continue to Capel Dewi Garage.
Anthony Motors
Continue to Anthony Motors.
Costcutter
Continue to Costcutter.
St. Padarn's Catholic Primary School
Continue to St. Padarn's Catholic Primary School.
Black Lion
Continue to Black Lion.
St Padarn's Church
Continue to St Padarn's Church.
Co-op Food
Continue to Co-op Food.
Ebeneser
Continue to Ebeneser.
Aber Pet Shop
Continue to Aber Pet Shop.
Quaker Meeting House Aberystwyth
Continue to Quaker Meeting House Aberystwyth.
Eglwys y Santes Fair
Continue to Eglwys y Santes Fair.
Angel
Continue to Angel.
Elim Christian Fellowship Church
Continue to Elim Christian Fellowship Church.
Old College
Continue to Old College.
Yr Hen Goleg - Aberystwyth University Old College
Continue to Yr Hen Goleg - Aberystwyth University Old College.
Yr Almanac
Finish back near Yr Almanac, completing the loop.
3 roundabouts · 15 turns · 1 set of lights
4 roundabouts · 16 turns · 1 set of lights
6 roundabouts · 18 turns · 1 set of lights
5 roundabouts · 13 turns · 1 set of lights
This route is 27.0 km and takes about 30 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Aberystwyth (Park Avenue) test centre, not an official DVSA route.