Near Barnsley test centre
Rated moderate from its real manoeuvre load, 3 roundabouts, 22 turns and 3 signalled junctions across 28 navigation steps.
This is an independent 44.7 km practice loop near Barnsley 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, 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 pubs, stations, parks 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 Barnsley 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 117-step drive on real, named roads (about 44.7 km). An indicative practice loop, not an official DVSA route — the roads and junctions are real, the sequence is a rehearsal.
Drive north.
36 m
Turn left onto West Road.
West Road84 m
Turn left onto Pogmoor Road.
Pogmoor Road386 m
Turn left to stay on Pogmoor Road.
Pogmoor Road103 m
Turn left onto St Martins Close.
St Martins Close42 m
Turn left to stay on St Martins Close.
St Martins Close38 m
Turn right onto St Owens Drive.
St Owens Drive173 m
Turn right onto Pogmoor Road.
Pogmoor Road741 m
Turn right onto Summer Lane.
Summer Lane972 m
Enter Townend Roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A628/West Way.
Townend Roundabout58 m
Exit the roundabout onto A628/West Way.
A628405 m
Continue.
23 m
Keep left to take A628/West Way.
A628232 m
Enter Alhambra Roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A61/Sheffield Road.
Alhambra Roundabout95 m
Exit the roundabout onto A61/Sheffield Road.
A61143 m
Keep right to stay on A61/Sheffield Road.
A61313 m
Turn left onto A6133/Cemetery Road.
A6133546 m
Turn right onto A635/Doncaster Road.
A6351.4 km
Turn right onto Darton Street.
Darton Street41 m
Turn right.
65 m
Turn right onto Kenwood Close.
Kenwood Close40 m
Turn left onto A635/Doncaster Road.
A635281 m
Turn left onto Neville Avenue.
Neville Avenue721 m
Turn right onto Birk Avenue.
Birk Avenue581 m
Turn right onto Birk Road.
Birk Road102 m
Turn left onto Birk Crescent.
Birk Crescent211 m
Turn left onto Birk Road.
Birk Road89 m
Turn left onto Birk Avenue.
Birk Avenue577 m
Turn left onto Hunningley Lane/B6100.
Hunningley Lane705 m
Enter Stairfoot Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A633/Grange Lane.
Stairfoot Roundabout46 m
Exit the roundabout onto A633/Grange Lane. Continue on A633.
A6331.2 km
Keep left to stay on A633.
A6333.3 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Wakefield Road/A61.
19 m
Exit the roundabout onto Wakefield Road/A61.
Wakefield Road1.0 km
Move left onto Bar Lane/B6131. Continue on B6131.
B61311.5 km
Turn left onto Darton Lane/B6131.
Darton Lane476 m
Turn right onto Oaks Wood Drive.
Oaks Wood Drive230 m
Turn right onto Broom Close.
Broom Close87 m
Turn left to stay on Broom Close.
Broom Close37 m
Turn right to stay on Broom Close.
Broom Close22 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Broom Close.
Broom Close22 m
Turn left to stay on Broom Close.
Broom Close37 m
Turn right to stay on Broom Close.
Broom Close87 m
Turn left onto Oaks Wood Drive.
Oaks Wood Drive230 m
Turn left onto Darton Lane/B6131.
Darton Lane476 m
Turn right onto Towngate/B6131. Continue on B6131.
B61311.5 km
Turn right onto Wakefield Road/A61.
Wakefield Road1.0 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Rotherham Road/A633.
15 m
Exit the roundabout onto Rotherham Road/A633.
Rotherham Road3.3 km
Turn right onto Rotherham Road/A633. Continue on A633.
A6331.3 km
Enter Stairfoot Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Hunningley Lane/B6100.
Stairfoot Roundabout126 m
Exit the roundabout onto Hunningley Lane/B6100.
Hunningley Lane703 m
Turn right onto Birk Avenue.
Birk Avenue131 m
Turn left onto Farm Road.
Farm Road907 m
Turn left onto Cypress Road.
Cypress Road57 m
Turn right onto Yews Lane.
Yews Lane373 m
Turn right to stay on Yews Lane.
Yews Lane22 m
Turn left to stay on Yews Lane.
Yews Lane26 m
Turn left to stay on Yews Lane.
Yews Lane401 m
Turn right to stay on Yews Lane.
Yews Lane220 m
Turn left onto Underwood Avenue.
Underwood Avenue227 m
Turn right onto Wellington Crescent.
Wellington Crescent76 m
Turn right onto Overdale Avenue.
Overdale Avenue250 m
Turn left onto Yews Lane.
Yews Lane51 m
Turn right onto Knowle Road.
Knowle Road178 m
Turn right to stay on Knowle Road.
Knowle Road191 m
Turn left to stay on Knowle Road.
Knowle Road35 m
Turn right onto A61/Upper Sheffield Road. Continue on A61.
A611.6 km
Enter Alhambra Roundabout and take the 4th exit onto A61/Sheffield Road.
Alhambra Roundabout155 m
Exit the roundabout onto A61/Sheffield Road.
A61143 m
Keep right to stay on A61/Sheffield Road.
A61580 m
Turn right onto Mount Vernon Road.
Mount Vernon Road834 m
Turn left onto Pinfold Hill.
Pinfold Hill188 m
Move left onto Kingwell Road.
Kingwell Road209 m
Turn right onto Blackburn Lane.
Blackburn Lane108 m
Turn right onto De Lacy Drive.
De Lacy Drive104 m
Turn right onto Saxon Crescent.
Saxon Crescent30 m
Turn left to stay on Saxon Crescent.
Saxon Crescent246 m
Turn right onto Kingwell Road.
Kingwell Road90 m
Turn left onto Pinfold Hill.
Pinfold Hill188 m
Turn right onto Mount Vernon Road.
Mount Vernon Road549 m
Turn left onto Mount Vernon Avenue.
Mount Vernon Avenue404 m
Turn right onto Lockwood Lane.
Lockwood Lane72 m
Turn right onto Highstone Road.
Highstone Road407 m
Turn left onto Mount Vernon Road.
Mount Vernon Road87 m
Turn left onto A61/Sheffield Road.
A61714 m
Enter Alhambra Roundabout and take the 1st exit onto A628/West Way.
Alhambra Roundabout28 m
Exit the roundabout onto A628/West Way.
A628207 m
Keep left to stay on A628/West Way.
A628479 m
Enter Townend Roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Summer Lane.
Townend Roundabout82 m
Exit the roundabout onto Summer Lane.
Summer Lane565 m
Turn right onto Hope Street.
Hope Street201 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Hope Street.
Hope Street201 m
Turn left onto Summer Lane.
Summer Lane566 m
Enter Townend Roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A628/West Way.
Townend Roundabout58 m
Exit the roundabout onto A628/West Way.
A628405 m
Continue.
23 m
Keep left to take A628/West Way.
A628232 m
Enter Alhambra Roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A61/Sheffield Road.
Alhambra Roundabout95 m
Exit the roundabout onto A61/Sheffield Road.
A61143 m
Keep right to stay on A61/Sheffield Road.
A61313 m
Turn right onto A6133/Park Road.
A6133161 m
Turn left onto Dobie Street.
Dobie Street173 m
Turn right onto Cope Street.
Cope Street186 m
Turn right onto Warren Quarry Lane.
Warren Quarry Lane176 m
Turn left onto A6133/Park Road.
A61331.0 km
Turn right onto Racecommon Road.
Racecommon Road959 m
Enter Townend Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Summer Lane.
Townend Roundabout45 m
Exit the roundabout onto Summer Lane.
Summer Lane971 m
Turn left onto Pogmoor Road.
Pogmoor Road886 m
Turn left to stay on Pogmoor Road.
Pogmoor Road103 m
Turn left onto St Martins Close.
St Martins Close42 m
Turn left to stay on St Martins Close.
St Martins Close38 m
Turn right onto St Owens Drive.
St Owens Drive173 m
Turn right onto Pogmoor Road.
Pogmoor Road242 m
Turn right onto West Road.
West Road56 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Barnsley · 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.
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
Approach in the correct lane, signal on the exit before yours, and keep checking your mirrors as you leave.
Dual-carriageway join
About 12.4 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.
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.
Tom Treddlehoyle
Start near Tom Treddlehoyle.
Sheffield Road/Brinckman Street
Continue to Sheffield Road/Brinckman Street.
Hen Pen
Continue to Hen Pen.
Morrisons Daily
Continue to Morrisons Daily.
St Andrew
Continue to St Andrew.
Cliffe Bridge Church
Continue to Cliffe Bridge Church.
Farmfoods
Continue to Farmfoods.
Eastfield Arms
Continue to Eastfield Arms.
Staincross Methodist Church
Continue to Staincross Methodist Church.
Metro Stores
Continue to Metro Stores.
One Stop
Continue to One Stop.
Valtage Autos Ltd
Continue to Valtage Autos Ltd.
Ebenezer Wesleyan Reform Church
Continue to Ebenezer Wesleyan Reform Church.
Kendray Police Station
Continue to Kendray Police Station.
Upper Sheffield Road/Bluebell Bank
Continue to Upper Sheffield Road/Bluebell Bank.
Sheffield Road/Park Road
Continue to Sheffield Road/Park Road.
St Luke
Continue to St Luke.
Holy Rood Catholic Church
Continue to Holy Rood Catholic Church.
Barnsley College Park Road Campus
Continue to Barnsley College Park Road Campus.
St Edward The Confessor
Finish back near St Edward The Confessor, completing the loop.
2 roundabouts · 26 turns · 3 sets of lights
2 roundabouts · 23 turns · 3 sets of lights
6 roundabouts · 21 turns · 3 sets of lights
1 roundabout · 25 turns · 7 sets of lights
This route is 44.7 km and takes about 35 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Barnsley test centre, not an official DVSA route.