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Practice route
ChallengingLoop

Airdrie · Route 10

Near Airdrie test centre

29.5 km
Distance
30 min
Duration
Challenging
Difficulty
19
Manoeuvres
Difficulty: Easy

Rated easy from its real manoeuvre load, 7 roundabouts, 8 turns and 1 signalled junction across 19 navigation steps.

How this route is examined

This is an independent 29.5 km practice loop near Airdrie 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, national-speed roads, 20 mph zones, changing speed limits, residential manoeuvres, busy a-roads, 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 churches, shops, pubs and parks, 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 Airdrie 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.

4
Left turns
4
Right turns
7
Roundabouts
1
Traffic lights
19
Total steps

Skills & features

33
Roundabouts
20, 30, 60 mph
Speed limits
20
Landmarks

This route helps you practise:

  • Multiple roundabouts
  • National-speed roads
  • 20 mph zones
  • Changing speed limits
  • Residential manoeuvres
  • Busy A-roads
  • Independent driving
  • Sustained concentration

Road mix

  • A-roads 9.9 km
  • Residential 6.8 km
  • B-roads 6.2 km
  • Minor roads 4.1 km
  • Unclassified 0.3 km

Turn-by-turn directions

The full 100-step drive on real, named roads (about 29.6 km). An indicative practice loop, not an official DVSA route — the roads and junctions are real, the sequence is a rehearsal.

  1. Depart:

    Drive northeast on Aitchison Street/A8010.

    Aitchison Street57 m

  2. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Wilson Street.

    Wilson Street272 m

  3. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Mavisbank Street.

    Mavisbank Street187 m

  4. Roundabout:

    Enter Park Crescent and take the 2nd exit onto McKenna Drive.

    Park Crescent72 m

  5. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto McKenna Drive.

    McKenna Drive53 m

  6. Keep right:

    Keep right to stay on McKenna Drive.

    McKenna Drive365 m

  7. Keep right:

    Keep right to stay on McKenna Drive.

    McKenna Drive18 m

  8. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Mulvey Crescent.

    Mulvey Crescent84 m

  9. Keep left:

    Keep left to take Centenary Avenue.

    Centenary Avenue426 m

  10. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Southburn Road.

    Southburn Road18 m

  11. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Railway Road.

    Railway Road257 m

  12. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Deedes Street/A89. Continue on A89.

    A89180 m

  13. Keep left:

    Keep left to take Aitchison Street/A8010.

    Aitchison Street1.0 km

  14. Turn left:

    Turn left onto North Bridge Street/B802. Continue on B802.

    B802306 m

  15. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Quarry Road.

    Quarry Road392 m

  16. U-turn:

    Make a right U-turn to stay on Quarry Road.

    Quarry Road392 m

  17. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Commonside Street/B802. Continue on B802.

    B802305 m

  18. Turn right:

    Turn right onto High Street/A8010. Continue on A8010.

    A8010938 m

  19. Turn left:

    Turn left to stay on Aitchison Street.

    Aitchison Street10 m

  20. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Alexander Street/A89. Continue on A89.

    A89683 m

  21. Roundabout:

    Enter Main Street and take the 3rd exit onto Muiryhall Street East.

    Main Street52 m

  22. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto Muiryhall Street East.

    Muiryhall Street East216 m

  23. Keep right:

    Keep right to stay on Muiryhall Street East.

    Muiryhall Street East265 m

  24. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Hillcrest Avenue.

    Hillcrest Avenue295 m

  25. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Main Street/A89.

    Main Street254 m

  26. Keep right:

    Keep right to stay on Main Street/A89.

    Main Street143 m

  27. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 4th exit onto Main Street/A89.

    98 m

  28. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto Main Street/A89.

    Main Street1.1 km

  29. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Main Street.

    12 m

  30. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto Main Street.

    Main Street1.3 km

  31. Keep left:

    Keep straight to stay on Alexander Street/A89.

    Alexander Street58 m

  32. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Stirling Street.

    10 m

  33. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto Stirling Street.

    Stirling Street250 m

  34. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Bank Street/B802.

    Bank Street93 m

  35. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Anderson Street.

    Anderson Street125 m

  36. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Wellwynd.

    Wellwynd85 m

  37. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Stirling Street.

    Stirling Street128 m

  38. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Alexander Street/A89.

    23 m

  39. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto Alexander Street/A89.

    Alexander Street57 m

  40. Keep left:

    Keep left to stay on A89.

    A891.3 km

  41. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Main Street/A89.

    34 m

  42. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto Main Street/A89.

    Main Street920 m

  43. Keep right:

    Keep right to stay on Main Street/A89.

    Main Street143 m

  44. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto South Circular Road/A89.

    39 m

  45. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto South Circular Road/A89.

    South Circular Road36 m

  46. Keep right:

    Keep right to stay on South Circular Road/A89.

    South Circular Road130 m

  47. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto South Circular Road/A89.

    23 m

  48. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto South Circular Road/A89.

    South Circular Road397 m

  49. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto West Canal Street.

    23 m

  50. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto West Canal Street.

    West Canal Street515 m

  51. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Blairhill Street.

    Blairhill Street309 m

  52. Turn right:

    Turn right to stay on Blairhill Street.

    Blairhill Street81 m

  53. Keep left:

    Keep left to stay on Blairhill Street.

    Blairhill Street53 m

  54. U-turn:

    Make a left U-turn at Blairhill Street to stay on Blairhill Street.

    Blairhill Street503 m

  55. Roundabout:

    Enter Bank Street and take the 2nd exit onto Dundyvan Road/B753.

    Bank Street32 m

  56. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto Dundyvan Road/B753.

    Dundyvan Road514 m

  57. Turn right:

    Turn right to stay on Dundyvan Road/B753.

    Dundyvan Road100 m

  58. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Dundyvan Road/B753.

    10 m

  59. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto Dundyvan Road/B753.

    Dundyvan Road23 m

  60. Keep left:

    Keep left to stay on Dundyvan Road/B753.

    Dundyvan Road170 m

  61. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Barrowfield Street.

    Barrowfield Street365 m

  62. Turn right:

    Move right onto Brownshill Avenue.

    Brownshill Avenue241 m

  63. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Croy Road.

    Croy Road744 m

  64. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Lismore Drive.

    Lismore Drive210 m

  65. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Woodside Street.

    Woodside Street520 m

  66. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Bank Street/A89.

    Bank Street848 m

  67. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Blairhill Street.

    16 m

  68. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto Blairhill Street.

    Blairhill Street362 m

  69. Turn right:

    Turn right to stay on Blairhill Street.

    Blairhill Street81 m

  70. Keep left:

    Keep left to stay on Blairhill Street.

    Blairhill Street53 m

  71. U-turn:

    Make a left U-turn at Blairhill Street to stay on Blairhill Street.

    Blairhill Street450 m

  72. Turn left:

    Turn left onto West Canal Street.

    West Canal Street342 m

  73. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Canal Court.

    Canal Court40 m

  74. Turn left:

    Turn left.

    108 m

  75. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Canal Court.

    Canal Court40 m

  76. Turn left:

    Turn left onto West Canal Street.

    West Canal Street172 m

  77. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Sunnyside Road/B803.

    10 m

  78. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto Sunnyside Road/B803.

    Sunnyside Road444 m

  79. Turn left:

    Move left onto Gartsherrie Road.

    Gartsherrie Road270 m

  80. Turn left:

    Move left to stay on Gartsherrie Road.

    Gartsherrie Road842 m

  81. Roundabout:

    Enter Blair Road and take the 4th exit onto Gartsherrie Road.

    Blair Road97 m

  82. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto Gartsherrie Road.

    Gartsherrie Road520 m

  83. Keep left:

    Keep left to stay on Gartsherrie Road.

    Gartsherrie Road591 m

  84. Turn right:

    Move right onto Sunnyside Road/B803.

    Sunnyside Road272 m

  85. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Baird Street.

    Baird Street180 m

  86. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Church Street.

    Church Street55 m

  87. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Albert Street.

    Albert Street98 m

  88. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Crichton Street.

    Crichton Street182 m

  89. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Sunnyside Road/B803.

    Sunnyside Road244 m

  90. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Sunnyside Road/B804.

    Sunnyside Road48 m

  91. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Burnbank Street/B803.

    Burnbank Street52 m

  92. Keep right:

    Keep right to stay on B803.

    B803856 m

  93. Keep left:

    Keep left to stay on B803.

    B8031.3 km

  94. Keep left:

    Keep straight to stay on Coatbridge Road/B803.

    Coatbridge Road155 m

  95. Keep left:

    Keep left to stay on Coatbridge Road/B803.

    Coatbridge Road245 m

  96. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Glenmavis Road/B802.

    Glenmavis Road564 m

  97. Keep right:

    Keep right to stay on Glenmavis Road/B802.

    Glenmavis Road406 m

  98. Keep right:

    Keep right to stay on B802.

    B8021.1 km

  99. Turn right:

    Turn right onto High Street/A8010. Continue on A8010.

    A8010555 m

  100. Arrive:

    You have arrived at your destination.

Directions for the Airdrie · Route 10 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.

Stations

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

  • Kirkwood
  • Coatbridge Central
  • Coatbridge Sunnyside

Churches

Useful navigation anchors on the loop.

  • Ebenezer Evangelical Church
  • Airdrie High Kirk
  • Airdrie Reformed Presbyterian Church
  • All Saints
  • Islamic Society of Airdrie & Coatbridge

Parks & green space

Pedestrian crossings and parked cars are common nearby.

  • Westend Park

Pubs

Easy landmarks to navigate the loop by.

  • Owens Bar
  • West End Bar
  • La Ronde

Shops & parades

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

  • Jade Garden Takeaway

Watch out for

  • Multiple roundabouts

    Approach in the correct lane, signal on the exit before yours, and keep checking your mirrors as you leave.

  • Changing speed limits

    Limits change across this route (20, 30, 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.

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. Ebenezer Evangelical Church

    Start near Ebenezer Evangelical Church.

  2. Airdrie High Kirk

    Continue to Airdrie High Kirk.

  3. Airdrie Reformed Presbyterian Church

    Continue to Airdrie Reformed Presbyterian Church.

  4. Jade Garden Takeaway

    Continue to Jade Garden Takeaway.

  5. All Saints

    Continue to All Saints.

  6. Islamic Society of Airdrie & Coatbridge

    Continue to Islamic Society of Airdrie & Coatbridge.

  7. Owens Bar

    Continue to Owens Bar.

  8. West End Bar

    Continue to West End Bar.

  9. Westend Park

    Continue to Westend Park.

  10. Coatbridge Fire Station

    Continue to Coatbridge Fire Station.

  11. Blairhill and Dundyvan Parish Church

    Continue to Blairhill and Dundyvan Parish Church.

  12. Coatbridge Baptist Church

    Continue to Coatbridge Baptist Church.

  13. St Augustine's

    Continue to St Augustine's.

  14. Kirkwood

    Continue to Kirkwood.

  15. Coatbridge Central

    Continue to Coatbridge Central.

  16. Coatbridge Middle Parish Church

    Continue to Coatbridge Middle Parish Church.

  17. Coatbridge Sunnyside

    Continue to Coatbridge Sunnyside.

  18. La Ronde

    Continue to La Ronde.

  19. Coatbridge Spiritualist Church

    Continue to Coatbridge Spiritualist Church.

  20. Commonhead Mining Disaster Memorial

    Finish back near Commonhead Mining Disaster Memorial, completing the loop.

More routes at Airdrie test centre

Route FAQs

This route is 29.5 km and takes about 30 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Airdrie test centre, not an official DVSA route.