Near Barnsley test centre
Rated challenging from its real manoeuvre load, 2 roundabouts, 21 turns and 8 signalled junctions across 29 navigation steps.
This is an independent 28.5 km practice loop near Barnsley 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 Burton Road and Old Tannery 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, schools, shops and named junctions, 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 106-step drive on real, named roads (about 28.4 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 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 Road888 m
Turn right onto Gawber Road.
Gawber Road576 m
Move left onto Victoria Road.
Victoria Road339 m
Turn right to take the A635 ramp.
A635430 m
Turn left onto Honeywell Street.
Honeywell Street438 m
Move left onto Rockingham Street.
Rockingham Street55 m
Turn left onto Burton Street.
Burton Street63 m
Turn left onto Honeywell Lane.
Honeywell Lane94 m
Turn right onto Honeywell Street.
Honeywell Street394 m
Turn left onto A635/Old Mill Lane.
A635247 m
Enter Old Mill Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Old Mill Lane/A61.
Old Mill Roundabout49 m
Exit the roundabout onto Old Mill Lane/A61.
Old Mill Lane245 m
Move right onto Old Tannery Road.
Old Tannery Road42 m
Turn right to stay on Old Tannery Road.
Old Tannery Road183 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Old Tannery Road.
21 m
Exit the roundabout onto Old Tannery Road.
Old Tannery Road101 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Burton Road.
40 m
Exit the roundabout onto Burton Road.
Burton Road655 m
Turn left onto Rotherham Road/A633.
Rotherham Road672 m
Turn left onto Burton Bank Road.
Burton Bank Road61 m
Turn left onto Rochester Road.
Rochester Road307 m
Turn left onto Clarence Road.
Clarence Road86 m
Turn right onto Warwick Road.
Warwick Road45 m
Turn left onto Bronte Close.
Bronte Close139 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Bronte Close.
Bronte Close139 m
Turn left onto Warwick Road.
Warwick Road123 m
Move left onto Tennyson Road.
Tennyson Road209 m
Turn left onto Burton Road.
Burton Road175 m
Turn left onto Rotherham Road/A633.
Rotherham Road1.3 km
Turn left onto Carlton Road/B6132.
Carlton Road449 m
Turn left onto Wakefield Road/A61.
Wakefield Road156 m
Turn right onto Smithies Lane.
Smithies Lane957 m
Turn left onto Rockingham Street.
Rockingham Street394 m
Turn right onto Burton Street.
Burton Street63 m
Turn left onto Honeywell Lane.
Honeywell Lane94 m
Turn right onto Honeywell Street.
Honeywell Street394 m
Turn left onto A635/Old Mill Lane.
A635247 m
Enter Old Mill Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Old Mill Lane/A61.
Old Mill Roundabout49 m
Exit the roundabout onto Old Mill Lane/A61.
Old Mill Lane245 m
Move right onto Old Tannery Road.
Old Tannery Road42 m
Turn right to stay on Old Tannery Road.
Old Tannery Road183 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Old Tannery Road.
21 m
Exit the roundabout onto Old Tannery Road.
Old Tannery Road101 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Burton Road.
40 m
Exit the roundabout onto Burton Road.
Burton Road655 m
Turn left onto Rotherham Road/A633.
Rotherham Road1.3 km
Turn left onto Carlton Road/B6132.
Carlton Road449 m
Turn left onto Wakefield Road/A61.
Wakefield Road156 m
Turn right onto Smithies Lane.
Smithies Lane773 m
Turn left onto Honeywell Grove.
Honeywell Grove194 m
Turn right onto Carlton Street.
Carlton Street139 m
Turn right onto Stone Street.
Stone Street65 m
Turn left onto Halifax Street.
Halifax Street13 m
Turn right onto Rockingham Street.
Rockingham Street118 m
Turn right onto Smithies Lane.
Smithies Lane957 m
Turn left onto Wakefield Road/A61.
Wakefield Road156 m
Turn right onto Carlton Road/B6132.
Carlton Road992 m
Turn left onto Athersley Road.
Athersley Road186 m
Turn left onto Athersley Crescent.
Athersley Crescent160 m
Turn right onto Bakewell Road.
Bakewell Road94 m
Turn left onto Wingfield Road.
Wingfield Road174 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Wingfield Road.
36 m
Exit the roundabout onto Wingfield Road.
Wingfield Road701 m
Turn right onto Laithes Lane.
Laithes Lane63 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Laithes Lane.
Laithes Lane63 m
Turn right onto Wingfield Road.
Wingfield Road32 m
Turn left onto Laithes Lane/B6132.
Laithes Lane613 m
Turn right onto Wakefield Road/A61.
Wakefield Road326 m
Turn left onto New Lodge Crescent.
New Lodge Crescent40 m
Turn left onto Wakefield Road.
Wakefield Road280 m
Move right onto Langsett Road.
Langsett Road60 m
Turn right onto Kirkstall Road.
Kirkstall Road231 m
Turn right onto New Lodge Crescent.
New Lodge Crescent90 m
Turn right onto Wakefield Road/A61.
Wakefield Road799 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Wakefield Road/A61.
27 m
Exit the roundabout onto Wakefield Road/A61.
Wakefield Road899 m
Turn right onto Smithies Lane.
Smithies Lane773 m
Turn left onto Honeywell Grove.
Honeywell Grove58 m
Turn right onto Smithies Street.
Smithies Street98 m
Turn right to stay on Smithies Street.
Smithies Street1 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Smithies Street.
Smithies Street1 m
Turn left to stay on Smithies Street.
Smithies Street98 m
Turn left onto Honeywell Grove.
Honeywell Grove58 m
Turn left onto Smithies Lane.
Smithies Lane600 m
Turn right onto Hall Balk Lane.
Hall Balk Lane210 m
Turn left onto A635/Huddersfield Road.
A63581 m
Turn right onto Granville Street.
Granville Street351 m
Turn right onto Greenfoot Lane.
Greenfoot Lane261 m
Turn left onto A635/Huddersfield Road.
A635123 m
Turn left onto Queens Drive.
Queens Drive167 m
Turn left onto Southgate.
Southgate177 m
Turn right onto Greenfoot Lane.
Greenfoot Lane1.5 km
Turn left onto 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 21 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 1.1 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 Recovery and Wellbeing College
Continue to Barnsley Recovery and Wellbeing College.
Summer Lane Primary School
Continue to Summer Lane Primary School.
Honeywell
Continue to Honeywell.
Magnet
Continue to Magnet.
Prince of Wales
Continue to Prince of Wales.
Burton Road
Continue to Burton Road, taking the junction with good observation.
Old Tannery Road
Continue to Old Tannery Road, taking the junction with good observation.
Catch Fish & Chips
Continue to Catch Fish & Chips.
Gino's Pizzas
Continue to Gino's Pizzas.
Bedroom Centre
Continue to Bedroom Centre.
Full House
Continue to Full House.
One Stop
Continue to One Stop.
Polar Ford Barnsley
Continue to Polar Ford Barnsley.
Glam Hairdressing
Continue to Glam Hairdressing.
Kelly's Bakery
Continue to Kelly's Bakery.
St Helen
Continue to St Helen.
Hammerton's
Continue to Hammerton's.
ATS
Continue to ATS.
No. 37 Sandwich & Coffee Corner
Finish back near No. 37 Sandwich & Coffee Corner, 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 28.5 km and takes about 40 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Barnsley test centre, not an official DVSA route.