Near Barnsley test centre
Rated challenging from its real manoeuvre load, 5 roundabouts, 22 turns and 3 signalled junctions across 34 navigation steps.
This is an independent 33.8 km practice loop near Barnsley test centre, taking roughly 45 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 Barnsley Road and Barugh Green 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, 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, 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 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 135-step drive on real, named roads (about 36.4 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 Road287 m
Turn right onto Oakfield Walk.
Oakfield Walk285 m
Turn right onto Wharfedale Road.
Wharfedale Road163 m
Turn left onto Colster Close.
Colster Close80 m
Keep right to stay on Colster Close.
Colster Close39 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Colster Close.
Colster Close119 m
Turn right onto Wharfedale Road.
Wharfedale Road445 m
Turn left onto Farm House Lane.
Farm House Lane87 m
Turn left onto Pogmoor Road.
Pogmoor Road100 m
Turn left onto Oakfield Walk.
Oakfield Walk285 m
Turn right onto Wharfedale Road.
Wharfedale Road375 m
Turn left onto Church Street.
Church Street129 m
Turn right onto Beever Lane.
Beever Lane212 m
Move left to stay on Beever Lane.
Beever Lane26 m
Turn left onto Redbrook Road.
Redbrook Road375 m
Keep left to take Gawber Road.
Gawber Road131 m
Move left onto A635/Barugh Green Road.
A635147 m
Enter Barnsley Road and take the 4th exit onto A635/Barugh Green Road.
Barnsley Road74 m
Exit the roundabout onto A635/Barugh Green Road.
A635114 m
Keep straight to stay on A635.
A635119 m
Keep right to take A635/Wilthorpe Road.
A635544 m
Turn right onto Ripley Grove.
Ripley Grove53 m
Turn left onto Wilthorpe Lane.
Wilthorpe Lane59 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Wilthorpe Lane.
Wilthorpe Lane59 m
Turn right onto Ripley Grove.
Ripley Grove53 m
Turn left onto A635/Wilthorpe Road. Continue on A635.
A635663 m
Keep right to take A635/Barugh Green Road.
A635112 m
Enter Barnsley Road and take the 1st exit onto Barugh Green Road/A635.
Barnsley Road18 m
Exit the roundabout onto Barugh Green Road/A635.
Barugh Green Road75 m
Turn left onto Claycliffe Avenue.
Claycliffe Avenue197 m
Turn left onto Mawfield Road.
Mawfield Road59 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Mawfield Road.
Mawfield Road59 m
Turn right onto Claycliffe Avenue.
Claycliffe Avenue197 m
Turn right onto Barugh Green Road/A635.
Barugh Green Road72 m
Enter Barnsley Road and take the 5th exit onto A637/Claycliffe Road.
Barnsley Road98 m
Exit the roundabout onto A637/Claycliffe Road.
A637845 m
Keep left to stay on A637/Claycliffe Road.
A63733 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A637/Barnsley Road.
21 m
Exit the roundabout onto A637/Barnsley Road.
A63769 m
Keep left to stay on A637/Barnsley Road.
A637615 m
Turn left onto Bence Lane.
Bence Lane107 m
Turn right onto Bence Close.
Bence Close140 m
Turn right to stay on Bence Close.
Bence Close8 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Bence Close.
Bence Close8 m
Turn left to stay on Bence Close.
Bence Close140 m
Turn right onto Bence Lane.
Bence Lane794 m
Turn right onto Beaumont Road.
Beaumont Road222 m
Turn right onto Churchfield Lane.
Churchfield Lane616 m
Turn right onto A637/Huddersfield Road. Continue on A637.
A6371.4 km
Keep right to stay on A637/Barnsley Road.
A63760 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A637/Claycliffe Road.
35 m
Exit the roundabout onto A637/Claycliffe Road.
A637876 m
Enter Barnsley Road and take the 4th exit onto A637/Claycliffe Road.
Barnsley Road80 m
Exit the roundabout onto A637/Claycliffe Road.
A637871 m
Keep right to stay on A637/Claycliffe Road.
A6377 m
Enter Barnsley Road and take the 4th exit onto A637/Claycliffe Road.
Barnsley Road71 m
Exit the roundabout onto A637/Claycliffe Road.
A637876 m
Enter Barnsley Road and take the 2nd exit onto A635/Barugh Green Road.
Barnsley Road26 m
Exit the roundabout onto A635/Barugh Green Road.
A63565 m
Keep straight to stay on A635/Barugh Green Road.
A63582 m
Move right onto Gawber Road.
Gawber Road34 m
Keep right to stay on Gawber Road.
Gawber Road1.5 km
Keep right to take Gawber Road.
Gawber Road626 m
Turn right onto Sackville Street.
Sackville Street261 m
Turn left onto Churchfield.
Churchfield256 m
Turn left onto Church Lane.
Church Lane98 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto A635/Church Lane.
23 m
Exit the roundabout onto A635/Church Lane.
A63544 m
Move left onto A635/Huddersfield Road.
A635367 m
Move right onto Cockerham Lane.
Cockerham Lane260 m
Turn right onto Cavendish Road.
Cavendish Road99 m
Turn left onto Allendale Road.
Allendale Road217 m
Turn left onto Smithies Lane.
Smithies Lane530 m
Move left onto A635/Huddersfield Road.
A63586 m
Turn right onto Hopwood Street.
Hopwood Street282 m
Turn right onto Victoria Road.
Victoria Road130 m
Turn left onto Sackville Street.
Sackville Street262 m
Turn left onto Churchfield.
Churchfield256 m
Turn left onto Church Lane.
Church Lane98 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto A635/Church Lane.
23 m
Exit the roundabout onto A635/Church Lane.
A63544 m
Move left onto A635/Huddersfield Road. Continue on A635.
A6352.7 km
Keep right to take A635/Barugh Green Road.
A635113 m
Enter Barnsley Road and take the 2nd exit onto A637/Claycliffe Road.
Barnsley Road39 m
Exit the roundabout onto A637/Claycliffe Road.
A637879 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A637/Barnsley Road.
21 m
Exit the roundabout onto A637/Barnsley Road.
A63792 m
Turn right onto Dearne Hall Road.
Dearne Hall Road101 m
Keep left to stay on Dearne Hall Road.
Dearne Hall Road367 m
Turn left onto Dearne Hall Road/B6428.
Dearne Hall Road64 m
Keep straight to stay on B6428.
B64281.6 km
Turn left onto Towngate/B6131.
Towngate289 m
Keep right to take Darton Lane/B6131.
Darton Lane559 m
Turn left to stay on Darton Lane.
Darton Lane158 m
Move right onto Pye Avenue.
Pye Avenue298 m
Turn right onto Spark Lane/B6428. Continue on B6428.
B64281.2 km
Turn right to stay on Dearne Hall Road.
Dearne Hall Road9 m
Keep right to stay on Dearne Hall Road.
Dearne Hall Road459 m
Turn left onto A637/Barnsley Road.
A63783 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 5th exit onto Dearne Hall Lane/B6428.
94 m
Exit the roundabout onto Dearne Hall Lane/B6428.
Dearne Hall Lane334 m
Turn right onto Miller's Grove.
Miller's Grove86 m
Turn right to stay on Miller's Grove.
Miller's Grove115 m
Turn right to stay on Miller's Grove.
Miller's Grove45 m
Turn left onto Dearne Hall Lane/B6428.
Dearne Hall Lane214 m
Enter Barnsley Road and take the 2nd exit onto Barugh Lane/B6428.
Barnsley Road30 m
Exit the roundabout onto Barugh Lane/B6428.
Barugh Lane53 m
Keep left to stay on Barugh Lane/B6428.
Barugh Lane717 m
Turn left onto Barugh Green Road/A635.
Barugh Green Road489 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Barugh Green Road/A635.
34 m
Exit the roundabout onto Barugh Green Road/A635.
Barugh Green Road456 m
Enter Barnsley Road and take the 3rd exit onto A635/Barugh Green Road.
Barnsley Road43 m
Exit the roundabout onto A635/Barugh Green Road.
A635114 m
Keep straight to stay on A635.
A635119 m
Keep right to take A635/Wilthorpe Road.
A635544 m
Turn right onto Ripley Grove.
Ripley Grove53 m
Turn left onto Wilthorpe Lane.
Wilthorpe Lane59 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Wilthorpe Lane.
Wilthorpe Lane59 m
Turn right onto Ripley Grove.
Ripley Grove53 m
Turn right onto A635/Wilthorpe Road.
A635517 m
Turn right onto Rowland Road.
Rowland Road486 m
Turn left onto Gawber Road.
Gawber Road341 m
Keep right to stay on Gawber Road.
Gawber Road518 m
Turn right onto Victoria Crescent West.
Victoria Crescent West56 m
Move right to stay on Victoria Crescent West.
Victoria Crescent West125 m
Turn right onto Summer Lane.
Summer Lane425 m
Turn left onto Pogmoor Road.
Pogmoor Road989 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 Road241 m
Turn right onto West Road.
West Road57 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Barnsley · Route 20 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.
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 11.9 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.
Barnsley Road
Continue to Barnsley Road, taking the junction with good observation.
Gawber Pre-School
Continue to Gawber Pre-School.
Chestnut Tree
Continue to Chestnut Tree.
Royal Hotel
Continue to Royal Hotel.
Rose and Crown
Continue to Rose and Crown.
Pentagon Jeep
Continue to Pentagon Jeep.
New Inn
Continue to New Inn.
Londis
Continue to Londis.
Barnsley Recovery and Wellbeing College
Continue to Barnsley Recovery and Wellbeing College.
Quaker Meeting House
Continue to Quaker Meeting House.
St Mary
Continue to St Mary.
Emmanuel Methodist
Continue to Emmanuel Methodist.
Millers Inn
Continue to Millers Inn.
King's Head
Continue to King's Head.
Staincross Christian Fellowship
Continue to Staincross Christian Fellowship.
Crown and Anchor
Continue to Crown and Anchor.
Barugh Green Road
Continue to Barugh Green Road, taking the junction with good observation.
Premier
Continue to Premier.
Polish Social Club
Finish back near Polish Social Club, 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 33.8 km and takes about 45 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Barnsley test centre, not an official DVSA route.