Near Barnstaple test centre
Rated moderate from its real manoeuvre load, 4 roundabouts, 15 turns and 5 signalled junctions across 22 navigation steps.
This is an independent 35.6 km practice route near Barnstaple test centre, taking roughly 30 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 Landkey Roundabout, Portmore Roundabout, Lake Roundabout and TA Roundabout. 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, national-speed roads, changing speed limits, residential manoeuvres, busy a-roads 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, shops, churches 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 Barnstaple 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 78-step drive on real, named roads (about 35.6 km). An indicative practice loop, not an official DVSA route — the roads and junctions are real, the sequence is a rehearsal.
Drive northeast on Benning Court.
Benning Court23 m
Turn right onto Riverside Road.
Riverside Road324 m
Turn left onto Pilland Way.
Pilland Way293 m
Move right to stay on Pilland Way.
Pilland Way24 m
Move right onto Braunton Road/A361.
Braunton Road1.1 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Pilton Causeway/B3149.
2 m
Exit the roundabout onto Pilton Causeway/B3149.
Pilton Causeway51 m
Enter Mermaid Cross and take the 2nd exit onto A39.
Mermaid Cross34 m
Exit the roundabout onto A39.
A39488 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Alexandra Road/A39.
30 m
Exit the roundabout onto Alexandra Road/A39.
Alexandra Road518 m
Enter TA Roundabout and take the 1st exit onto A39.
TA Roundabout3 m
Exit the roundabout onto A39.
A39423 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Victoria Road.
33 m
Exit the roundabout onto Victoria Road.
Victoria Road262 m
Turn left onto Newport Road.
Newport Road2.2 km
Turn right.
445 m
Turn right onto Venn Road.
Venn Road800 m
Move right onto Deer Park Road.
Deer Park Road346 m
Turn right onto Landkey Road.
Landkey Road768 m
Turn right.
28 m
Turn left onto Manor Road.
Manor Road223 m
Turn right.
539 m
Turn left onto Venn Road.
Venn Road574 m
Turn left.
687 m
Turn left onto Bableigh Road.
Bableigh Road488 m
Turn right onto Manor Road.
Manor Road580 m
Make a sharp left onto Blakes Hill Road.
Blakes Hill Road765 m
Enter Landkey Roundabout and take the 1st exit onto A361/North Devon Link Road.
Landkey Roundabout13 m
Exit the roundabout onto A361/North Devon Link Road.
A3611.7 km
Enter Portmore Roundabout and take the 1st exit onto A361.
Portmore Roundabout30 m
Exit the roundabout onto A361.
A3611.5 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A361.
48 m
Exit the roundabout onto A361.
A361728 m
Enter Lake Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Barnstaple Western Bypass/A361.
Lake Roundabout103 m
Exit the roundabout onto Barnstaple Western Bypass/A361.
Barnstaple Western Bypass1.4 km
Enter Sticklepath Junction and take the 2nd exit onto Barnstaple Western Bypass/A361.
Sticklepath Junction52 m
Exit the roundabout onto Barnstaple Western Bypass/A361.
Barnstaple Western Bypass1.2 km
Turn left onto Braunton Road/A361.
Braunton Road1.1 km
Make a right U-turn to stay on Braunton Road/A361.
Braunton Road1.1 km
Turn right onto Barnstaple Western Bypass/A361.
Barnstaple Western Bypass1.3 km
Enter Sticklepath Junction and take the 2nd exit onto Barnstaple Western Bypass/A361.
Sticklepath Junction47 m
Exit the roundabout onto Barnstaple Western Bypass/A361.
Barnstaple Western Bypass1.4 km
Enter Lake Roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Barnstaple Western Bypass/A361.
Lake Roundabout145 m
Exit the roundabout onto Barnstaple Western Bypass/A361.
Barnstaple Western Bypass1.4 km
Enter Sticklepath Junction and take the 2nd exit onto Barnstaple Western Bypass/A361.
Sticklepath Junction52 m
Exit the roundabout onto Barnstaple Western Bypass/A361.
Barnstaple Western Bypass1.2 km
Turn left onto Braunton Road/A361.
Braunton Road1.1 km
Make a right U-turn to stay on Braunton Road.
Braunton Road1.7 km
Turn left onto Fair View.
Fair View471 m
Turn right onto A39.
A39240 m
Enter Mermaid Cross and take the 1st exit onto A39.
Mermaid Cross3 m
Exit the roundabout onto A39.
A39488 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Derby Road.
21 m
Exit the roundabout onto Derby Road.
Derby Road642 m
Keep left to stay on Derby Road.
Derby Road480 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Derby Road.
Derby Road410 m
Turn left.
29 m
Turn left onto Gorwell Road.
Gorwell Road589 m
Turn left onto Goodleigh Road.
Goodleigh Road237 m
Turn right onto Walton Way.
Walton Way407 m
Move right onto Sowden Lane.
Sowden Lane133 m
Turn right to stay on Sowden Lane.
Sowden Lane388 m
Turn left onto Bear Street.
Bear Street351 m
Turn left onto Alexandra Road/A39.
Alexandra Road281 m
Enter TA Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A3125.
TA Roundabout34 m
Exit the roundabout onto A3125.
A312537 m
Move left.
29 m
Turn left onto Summerland Street.
Summerland Street129 m
Move left onto Barbican Road.
Barbican Road68 m
Turn right onto Barbican Close.
Barbican Close115 m
Turn left to stay on Barbican Close.
Barbican Close8 m
Turn right.
113 m
Turn left onto Victoria Road.
Victoria Road161 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Victoria Road.
51 m
Exit the roundabout onto Victoria Road.
Victoria Road93 m
Turn left onto Portmarsh Lane.
Portmarsh Lane83 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Barnstaple · Route 7 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
Watch your lane discipline and signalling at Landkey Roundabout, Portmore Roundabout, Lake Roundabout. Get into the correct lane early and check your exit mirror before leaving.
Dual-carriageway join
About 4.2 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 (30, 40, 50, 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.
Bull & Bear
Start near Bull & Bear.
Flukey's Bar
Continue to Flukey's Bar.
Rolle Quay Inn
Continue to Rolle Quay Inn.
Gaydon Street Motors
Continue to Gaydon Street Motors.
Salvation Army
Continue to Salvation Army.
Spar
Continue to Spar.
Jon Beer Auto Services
Continue to Jon Beer Auto Services.
St Paul
Continue to St Paul.
Landkey Roundabout
Continue to Landkey Roundabout, taking the junction with good observation.
War Memorial
Continue to War Memorial.
Portmore Roundabout
Continue to Portmore Roundabout, taking the junction with good observation.
Lake Roundabout
Continue to Lake Roundabout, taking the junction with good observation.
Burger King
Continue to Burger King.
Carpet Mill
Continue to Carpet Mill.
Kings Carpets
Continue to Kings Carpets.
Barum Brewery
Continue to Barum Brewery.
Kingdom Hall
Continue to Kingdom Hall.
Types Tyres
Continue to Types Tyres.
Our Lady's Catholic Primary School, Barnstaple
Continue to Our Lady's Catholic Primary School, Barnstaple.
TA Roundabout
Finish back near TA Roundabout, completing the loop.
7 roundabouts · 19 turns · 2 sets of lights
9 roundabouts · 13 turns
12 roundabouts · 13 turns · 7 sets of lights
11 roundabouts · 11 turns · 1 set of lights
This route is 35.6 km and takes about 30 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Barnstaple test centre, not an official DVSA route.