Near Airdrie test centre
Rated challenging from its real manoeuvre load, 8 roundabouts, 19 turns and 1 signalled junction across 29 navigation steps.
This is an independent 41.3 km practice loop near Airdrie 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 Dykehead Road, Rawyards Roundabout and Coltswood 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, 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, named junctions, 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 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.
What you’ll actually do on this loop, counted from its turn-by-turn directions.
This route helps you practise:
Road mix
The full 111-step drive on real, named roads (about 41.3 km). An indicative practice loop, not an official DVSA route — the roads and junctions are real, the sequence is a rehearsal.
Drive northeast on Aitchison Street/A8010.
Aitchison Street57 m
Turn left onto Wilson Street.
Wilson Street366 m
Turn left onto Burniebrae.
Burniebrae97 m
Make a sharp left onto Whinhall Road.
Whinhall Road105 m
Turn right onto Wilson Street.
Wilson Street320 m
Turn left onto Aitchison Street/A8010. Continue on A8010.
A8010354 m
Turn left onto North Bridge Street/B802. Continue on B802.
B8021.1 km
Turn right onto Dykehead Road.
Dykehead Road1.1 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Dykehead Road.
52 m
Exit the roundabout onto Dykehead Road.
Dykehead Road1.6 km
Turn right.
710 m
Turn right onto Airdriehill Road.
Airdriehill Road984 m
Turn right onto Airdriehill Street.
Airdriehill Street265 m
Enter Rawyards Roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Stirling Road/A73.
Rawyards Roundabout87 m
Exit the roundabout onto Stirling Road/A73.
Stirling Road1.9 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Stirling Road/A73.
53 m
Exit the roundabout onto Stirling Road/A73.
Stirling Road970 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto A73.
14 m
Exit the roundabout onto A73.
A7328 m
Turn right to stay on A73.
A7323 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Stirling Road/A73.
36 m
Exit the roundabout onto Stirling Road/A73.
Stirling Road972 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 4th exit onto Raebog Road/B803.
62 m
Exit the roundabout onto Raebog Road/B803. Continue on B803.
B8032.6 km
Turn right onto Coatbridge Road/B803. Continue on B803.
B8031.7 km
Turn right onto Coltswood Road/B804.
Coltswood Road762 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Coltswood Road/B804.
75 m
Exit the roundabout onto Coltswood Road/B804. Continue on B804.
B8041.2 km
Turn left onto Kildonan Street.
Kildonan Street1.2 km
Turn right onto Southburn Road.
Southburn Road18 m
Turn left onto Railway Road.
Railway Road256 m
Turn left onto Deedes Street/A89. Continue on A89.
A89431 m
Turn left onto Ralston Street.
Ralston Street68 m
Turn right onto George Street.
George Street227 m
Turn right onto Queen Victoria Street.
Queen Victoria Street82 m
Turn right onto Alexander Street/A89. Continue on A89.
A89666 m
Turn right onto Railway Road.
Railway Road256 m
Turn right onto Southburn Road.
Southburn Road18 m
Turn left onto Agnew Avenue.
Agnew Avenue1.2 km
Turn right onto Dunbeth Road/B804.
Dunbeth Road365 m
Turn left onto Sunnyside Road/B803.
Sunnyside Road365 m
Turn right onto Gartsherrie Road.
Gartsherrie Road202 m
Turn right onto Blane Street.
Blane Street85 m
Turn right onto West George Street.
West George Street65 m
Turn left onto Morven Street.
Morven Street93 m
Turn left onto Laurelbank.
Laurelbank158 m
Turn left onto West George Street.
West George Street133 m
Turn right onto Blane Street.
Blane Street85 m
Turn right onto Gartsherrie Road.
Gartsherrie Road67 m
Move left to stay on Gartsherrie Road.
Gartsherrie Road842 m
Enter Blair Road and take the 4th exit onto Gartsherrie Road.
Blair Road97 m
Exit the roundabout onto Gartsherrie Road.
Gartsherrie Road1.1 km
Turn left onto Sunnyside Road/B803.
Sunnyside Road365 m
Turn right onto Dunbeth Road/B804.
Dunbeth Road269 m
Turn left onto Laird Street.
Laird Street230 m
Turn left onto Portland Street.
Portland Street76 m
Turn left onto Dunbeth Avenue.
Dunbeth Avenue231 m
Turn right onto Dunbeth Road/B804.
Dunbeth Road101 m
Turn left onto Colt Terrace.
Colt Terrace224 m
Turn left onto Crichton Street.
Crichton Street89 m
Turn right onto Albert Street.
Albert Street98 m
Turn left onto Church Street.
Church Street79 m
Turn right to stay on Church Street.
Church Street122 m
Turn left onto Muiryhall Street.
Muiryhall Street287 m
Turn left onto Dunbeth Road/B804.
Dunbeth Road69 m
Turn right onto Kildonan Street.
Kildonan Street439 m
Turn right onto Park Street.
Park Street159 m
Turn left onto Muiryhall Street.
Muiryhall Street615 m
Turn left onto Quarry Street.
Quarry Street246 m
Turn left onto Agnew Avenue.
Agnew Avenue847 m
Turn right onto Portland Street.
Portland Street211 m
Turn left onto Dunbeth Avenue.
Dunbeth Avenue231 m
Turn left onto Dunbeth Road/B804.
Dunbeth Road172 m
Turn left onto Kildonan Street.
Kildonan Street1.2 km
Turn right onto Southburn Road.
Southburn Road18 m
Turn left onto Railway Road.
Railway Road256 m
Turn left onto Deedes Street/A89. Continue on A89.
A89180 m
Keep left to take Aitchison Street/A8010.
Aitchison Street486 m
Turn left onto Park Street.
Park Street287 m
Enter Park Crescent and take the 1st exit onto McKenna Drive.
Park Crescent32 m
Exit the roundabout onto McKenna Drive.
McKenna Drive438 m
Turn right onto Mulvey Crescent.
Mulvey Crescent511 m
Turn right onto Agnew Avenue.
Agnew Avenue1.0 km
Turn right onto Portland Street.
Portland Street211 m
Turn right onto Dunbeth Avenue.
Dunbeth Avenue100 m
Turn right onto Eglinton Street.
Eglinton Street236 m
Turn left onto Kildonan Street.
Kildonan Street120 m
Turn right to stay on Kildonan Street.
Kildonan Street119 m
Turn left onto Crown Street.
Crown Street12 m
Turn right onto Kildonan Street.
Kildonan Street662 m
Turn right onto Southburn Road.
Southburn Road18 m
Turn left onto Railway Road.
Railway Road256 m
Turn left onto Deedes Street/A89. Continue on A89.
A89180 m
Keep left to take Aitchison Street/A8010.
Aitchison Street486 m
Turn left onto Park Street.
Park Street287 m
Enter Park Crescent and take the 1st exit onto McKenna Drive.
Park Crescent32 m
Exit the roundabout onto McKenna Drive.
McKenna Drive438 m
Turn right onto Mulvey Crescent.
Mulvey Crescent54 m
Turn left onto Monkscourt Avenue.
Monkscourt Avenue87 m
Turn right onto Alexander Street/A89. Continue on A89.
A89617 m
Enter Main Street and take the 3rd exit onto Muiryhall Street East.
Main Street52 m
Exit the roundabout onto Muiryhall Street East.
Muiryhall Street East240 m
Turn right onto East Stewart Street.
East Stewart Street142 m
Turn right onto Irvine Crescent.
Irvine Crescent142 m
Turn right onto Agnew Avenue.
Agnew Avenue237 m
Turn right onto Southburn Road.
Southburn Road178 m
Turn left onto Deedes Street/A89. Continue on A89.
A89363 m
Keep left to take Aitchison Street/A8010.
Aitchison Street651 m
Turn right onto Aitchison Court.
Aitchison Court37 m
Turn right to stay on Aitchison Court.
Aitchison Court19 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Airdrie · 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.
Watch for 20 mph zones, crossings and children near these.
Useful navigation anchors on the loop.
Pedestrian crossings and parked cars are common nearby.
Easy landmarks to navigate the loop by.
Frequent stop-start traffic and pedestrians, keep your speed down.
Multiple roundabouts
Watch your lane discipline and signalling at Rawyards Roundabout. Get into the correct lane early and check your exit mirror before leaving.
Changing speed limits
Limits change across this route (20, 30, 40, 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.
Airdrie High Kirk
Start near Airdrie High Kirk.
Airdrie Reformed Presbyterian Church
Continue to Airdrie Reformed Presbyterian Church.
Dykehead Road
Continue to Dykehead Road, taking the junction with good observation.
Rawyards Roundabout
Continue to Rawyards Roundabout, taking the junction with good observation.
New Monkland Parish Church
Continue to New Monkland Parish Church.
Coltswood Road
Continue to Coltswood Road, taking the junction with good observation.
Portland High School
Continue to Portland High School.
Corner Shop
Continue to Corner Shop.
Westend Park
Continue to Westend Park.
Coatbridge Spiritualist Church
Continue to Coatbridge Spiritualist Church.
Coatbridge Sunnyside
Continue to Coatbridge Sunnyside.
La Ronde
Continue to La Ronde.
Kipps Locomotive Repair Department War Memorial
Continue to Kipps Locomotive Repair Department War Memorial.
New St Andrew's Parish Church
Continue to New St Andrew's Parish Church.
USave
Continue to USave.
Ebenezer Evangelical Church
Continue to Ebenezer Evangelical Church.
New Lanarkshire College - Coatbridge Campus
Continue to New Lanarkshire College - Coatbridge Campus.
Horseshoe Bar
Continue to Horseshoe Bar.
Islamic Society of Airdrie & Coatbridge
Continue to Islamic Society of Airdrie & Coatbridge.
Wilson Arms
Finish back near Wilson Arms, completing the loop.
11 roundabouts · 9 turns · 1 set of lights
8 roundabouts · 13 turns · 4 sets of lights
14 roundabouts · 10 turns · 1 set of lights
10 roundabouts · 8 turns · 2 sets of lights
This route is 41.3 km and takes about 40 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Airdrie test centre, not an official DVSA route.