Near Atherton test centre
Rated moderate from its real manoeuvre load, 7 roundabouts, 11 turns and 4 signalled junctions across 24 navigation steps.
This is an independent 48.0 km practice loop near Atherton 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.
On this route you’ll practise multiple roundabouts, dual-carriageway joins, 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, pubs, stations 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 Atherton 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 118-step drive on real, named roads (about 50.2 km). An indicative practice loop, not an official DVSA route — the roads and junctions are real, the sequence is a rehearsal.
Drive west.
34 m
Turn right.
28 m
Turn right onto Gibfield Park Avenue.
Gibfield Park Avenue232 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto North Road.
3 m
Exit the roundabout onto North Road.
North Road958 m
Move right onto Platt Lane.
Platt Lane1.2 km
Turn left onto A58/Park Road.
A58603 m
Keep right to stay on A58.
A5878 m
Turn right onto Park Road.
Park Road333 m
Turn right onto Mill Street/B5235. Continue on B5235.
B5235453 m
Keep left to take Bolton Road/B5235.
Bolton Road755 m
Turn left onto Snydale Close.
Snydale Close83 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Snydale Close.
Snydale Close83 m
Turn right onto Bolton Road.
Bolton Road1.4 km
Turn left onto A58/Cricketers Way.
A58305 m
Make a sharp right onto Leigh Road.
Leigh Road58 m
Move left onto Leigh Road/B5235.
Leigh Road38 m
Keep straight to stay on Leigh Road/B5235.
Leigh Road1.1 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Lower Leigh Road/B5235.
4 m
Exit the roundabout onto Lower Leigh Road/B5235.
Lower Leigh Road365 m
Keep left to stay on Lower Leigh Road/B5235.
Lower Leigh Road345 m
Keep left to stay on B5235.
B5235902 m
Turn left onto A577/Wigan Road.
A577472 m
Enter Talbot Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A577/Wigan Road.
Talbot Roundabout34 m
Exit the roundabout onto A577/Wigan Road.
A577569 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Gloucester Street.
10 m
Exit the roundabout onto Gloucester Street.
Gloucester Street1.1 km
Move right onto Car Bank Street.
Car Bank Street203 m
Turn left onto A579/Bolton Road.
A57917 m
Keep left to stay on A579.
A5791.7 km
Keep straight to take A579/Newbrook Road.
A579484 m
Keep left to stay on A579.
A579804 m
Keep right to take St Helens Road/A579.
St Helens Road106 m
Keep right to stay on St Helens Road/A579.
St Helens Road812 m
Turn left onto Hulton Lane/A6145.
Hulton Lane783 m
Turn left onto Chip Hill Road.
Chip Hill Road417 m
Turn right onto Wigan Road/A676.
Wigan Road485 m
Turn right onto Hulton Lane/A6145.
Hulton Lane1.2 km
Turn right onto St Helens Road/A579.
St Helens Road405 m
Keep right to stay on St Helens Road/A579.
St Helens Road487 m
Keep straight to stay on A579.
A579674 m
Keep right to take A579/Newbrook Road.
A579123 m
Keep right to stay on A579/Newbrook Road.
A579517 m
Keep left to stay on A579/Newbrook Road.
A579238 m
Keep right to stay on A579/Newbrook Road.
A579132 m
Keep right to stay on A579.
A5791.4 km
Turn right onto Car Bank Street.
Car Bank Street204 m
Turn left onto Gloucester Street.
Gloucester Street315 m
Keep left to stay on Gloucester Street.
Gloucester Street791 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A577/Wigan Road.
22 m
Exit the roundabout onto A577/Wigan Road.
A577569 m
Enter Talbot Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A579/Atherleigh Way.
Talbot Roundabout36 m
Exit the roundabout onto A579/Atherleigh Way.
A579110 m
Keep straight to stay on A579/Atherleigh Way.
A579175 m
Keep left to stay on A579/Atherleigh Way.
A579155 m
Keep left to stay on A579/Atherleigh Way.
A5791.5 km
Keep left to stay on A579/Atherleigh Way.
A579169 m
Keep straight to stay on A579/Atherleigh Way.
A579912 m
Keep left to stay on A579.
A579496 m
Keep right to stay on A579/Atherleigh Way.
A579171 m
Keep right to stay on A579/Atherleigh Way.
A579118 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A579/Atherleigh Way.
27 m
Exit the roundabout onto A579/Atherleigh Way.
A579319 m
Keep left to stay on A579/Atherleigh Way.
A579321 m
Keep straight to stay on A579/Atherleigh Way.
A579278 m
Turn left onto St Helens Road/A572.
St Helens Road259 m
Keep left to stay on St Helens Road/A572.
St Helens Road109 m
Keep right to stay on St Helens Road/A572.
St Helens Road810 m
Keep right to stay on A572.
A572621 m
Turn left onto Spinning Jenny Way/A578. Continue on A578.
A578578 m
Move left towards A579.
Atherleigh Way54 m
Make a sharp right onto A579/Atherleigh Way.
A579978 m
Move right to stay on A579/Atherleigh Way.
A5791.7 km
Turn left onto Lovers Lane/B5235.
Lovers Lane113 m
Keep left to stay on Lovers Lane/B5235.
Lovers Lane306 m
Turn left onto A577/Wigan Road.
A57732 m
Turn right onto Schofield Lane.
Schofield Lane23 m
Move left onto Schofield Lane/B5235. Continue on B5235.
B5235963 m
Keep left to take Lower Leigh Road/B5235.
Lower Leigh Road257 m
Keep right to stay on Lower Leigh Road/B5235.
Lower Leigh Road364 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Leigh Road/B5235.
15 m
Exit the roundabout onto Leigh Road/B5235.
Leigh Road1.1 km
Move left onto A58/Cricketers Way.
A58250 m
Turn right onto Mill Street/B5235.
Mill Street2.3 km
Make a right U-turn onto Bolton Road.
Bolton Road1.0 km
Turn left onto Manchester Road/A6.
Manchester Road859 m
Enter Chequerbent Roundabout and take the 4th exit onto A58/Park Road.
Chequerbent Roundabout292 m
Exit the roundabout onto A58/Park Road.
A5881 m
Keep left to stay on A58/Park Road.
A58524 m
Turn left onto Platt Lane.
Platt Lane1.2 km
Move left onto North Road.
North Road955 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Bag Lane.
6 m
Exit the roundabout onto Bag Lane.
Bag Lane19 m
Keep right to stay on Bag Lane.
Bag Lane697 m
Turn left onto Gloucester Street.
Gloucester Street555 m
Turn right onto York Street.
York Street198 m
Turn right onto A579/Bolton Road. Continue on A579.
A579156 m
Move right onto A577/Mealhouse Lane.
A577265 m
Turn right onto Flapper Fold Lane.
Flapper Fold Lane86 m
Turn left onto Rosedale Avenue.
Rosedale Avenue70 m
Turn left onto Fletcher Street.
Fletcher Street85 m
Turn left onto A577/Mealhouse Lane.
A577261 m
Keep left to stay on A577/Mealhouse Lane.
A57749 m
Turn left onto Water Street.
Water Street252 m
Turn left onto Gloucester Street.
Gloucester Street216 m
Turn right onto Flapper Fold Lane.
Flapper Fold Lane270 m
Turn left onto Brierfield Avenue.
Brierfield Avenue270 m
Turn right onto Derby Street.
Derby Street65 m
Turn left onto Elmfield Avenue.
Elmfield Avenue210 m
Turn left onto Cross Street.
Cross Street197 m
Turn left onto Bag Lane.
Bag Lane255 m
Turn left onto Derby Street.
Derby Street193 m
Turn left onto Elmfield Avenue.
Elmfield Avenue210 m
Turn left onto Cross Street.
Cross Street197 m
Turn right onto Bag Lane.
Bag Lane291 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Gibfield Park Avenue.
3 m
Exit the roundabout onto Gibfield Park Avenue.
Gibfield Park Avenue161 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Atherton · Route 10 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 17.2 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 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.
Westhoughton Pentecostal Church
Start near Westhoughton Pentecostal Church.
Westhoughton United Reform Church
Continue to Westhoughton United Reform Church.
White Horse Tavern
Continue to White Horse Tavern.
Daisy Hill
Continue to Daisy Hill.
Talbot
Continue to Talbot.
Atherton
Continue to Atherton.
St Andrew's Church Over Hulton
Continue to St Andrew's Church Over Hulton.
Deane United Reformed Church
Continue to Deane United Reformed Church.
Jodie's Flat
Continue to Jodie's Flat.
Royal
Continue to Royal.
Leigh Adult Learning Centre
Continue to Leigh Adult Learning Centre.
SAS Automotive
Continue to SAS Automotive.
Leopards Den
Continue to Leopards Den.
Masons Arms
Continue to Masons Arms.
Rose Hill Tavern
Continue to Rose Hill Tavern.
Bolton Hospice
Continue to Bolton Hospice.
Tesco Express
Continue to Tesco Express.
Pravins Off Licence
Continue to Pravins Off Licence.
Central Methodist Church
Continue to Central Methodist Church.
George VI
Finish back near George VI, completing the loop.
7 roundabouts · 16 turns · 2 sets of lights
3 roundabouts · 14 turns · 4 sets of lights
6 roundabouts · 18 turns · 7 sets of lights
8 roundabouts · 14 turns · 5 sets of lights
This route is 48.0 km and takes about 35 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Atherton test centre, not an official DVSA route.