Skip to content
Practice route
ChallengingLoop

Barrow In Furness · Route 4

Near Barrow In Furness test centre

32.3 km
Distance
30 min
Duration
Challenging
Difficulty
19
Manoeuvres
Difficulty: Easy

Rated easy from its real manoeuvre load, 5 roundabouts, 14 turns and 2 signalled junctions across 23 navigation steps.

How this route is examined

This is an independent 32.3 km practice loop near Barrow In Furness 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.

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 shops, schools, pubs and churches, 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 Barrow In Furness 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.

Manoeuvre breakdown

What you’ll actually do on this loop, counted from its turn-by-turn directions.

9
Left turns
5
Right turns
5
Roundabouts
2
Traffic lights
23
Total steps

Skills & features

9
Roundabouts
1.9 km
Dual carriageway
30, 40 mph
Speed limits
20
Landmarks

This route helps you practise:

  • Multiple roundabouts
  • Dual-carriageway joins
  • Residential manoeuvres
  • Busy A-roads
  • Independent driving
  • Sustained concentration

Road mix

  • Minor roads 19.1 km
  • Residential 4.9 km
  • A-roads 3.6 km
  • Trunk roads 1.9 km
  • service_other 0.4 km
  • Unclassified 0.3 km

Turn-by-turn directions

The full 83-step drive on real, named roads (about 32.2 km). An indicative practice loop, not an official DVSA route — the roads and junctions are real, the sequence is a rehearsal.

  1. Depart:

    Drive northwest.

    42 m

  2. Turn right:

    Turn right.

    23 m

  3. Turn left:

    Turn left onto James Freel Close.

    James Freel Close166 m

  4. Turn right:

    Turn right to stay on James Freel Close.

    James Freel Close1 m

  5. U-turn:

    Make a right U-turn to stay on James Freel Close.

    James Freel Close1 m

  6. Turn left:

    Turn left to stay on James Freel Close.

    James Freel Close247 m

  7. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Ironworks Road/A590.

    Ironworks Road206 m

  8. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Walney Road/A590. Continue on A590.

    A590632 m

  9. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto North Road/A590.

    28 m

  10. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto North Road/A590.

    North Road72 m

  11. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Ironworks Road/A590.

    Ironworks Road924 m

  12. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Phoenix Road.

    Phoenix Road626 m

  13. Turn right:

    Turn right onto A590/Walney Road.

    A590244 m

  14. Turn left:

    Turn left.

    140 m

  15. Turn right:

    Turn right onto A590/Walney Road.

    A5901.3 km

  16. Turn right:

    Turn right.

    53 m

  17. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Park Road.

    Park Road471 m

  18. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Millstone Avenue.

    Millstone Avenue138 m

  19. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Middlefield.

    Middlefield427 m

  20. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Bank Lane.

    Bank Lane656 m

  21. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Rakesmoor Lane.

    Rakesmoor Lane1.6 km

  22. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Abbey Road.

    Abbey Road820 m

  23. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Leith Flat Brow.

    Leith Flat Brow166 m

  24. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Rating Lane.

    Rating Lane130 m

  25. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Abbey Road.

    Abbey Road605 m

  26. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Dane Avenue.

    Dane Avenue96 m

  27. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Wheatclose Road.

    Wheatclose Road301 m

  28. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Hawcoat Lane.

    Hawcoat Lane416 m

  29. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Undergreens Road.

    Undergreens Road393 m

  30. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Hawcoat Lane.

    Hawcoat Lane691 m

  31. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Oxford Street.

    Oxford Street190 m

  32. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Oxford Street.

    25 m

  33. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto Oxford Street.

    Oxford Street363 m

  34. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Victoria Avenue.

    Victoria Avenue273 m

  35. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Devonshire Road.

    Devonshire Road568 m

  36. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Schneider Road.

    57 m

  37. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto Schneider Road.

    Schneider Road1.5 km

  38. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Millstone Avenue.

    Millstone Avenue138 m

  39. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Middlefield.

    Middlefield226 m

  40. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Mill Bank.

    Mill Bank208 m

  41. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Park Road.

    Park Road1.2 km

  42. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Devonshire Road.

    5 m

  43. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto Devonshire Road.

    Devonshire Road563 m

  44. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Victoria Avenue.

    Victoria Avenue273 m

  45. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Oxford Street.

    Oxford Street363 m

  46. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Oxford Street.

    22 m

  47. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto Oxford Street.

    Oxford Street190 m

  48. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Hawcoat Lane.

    Hawcoat Lane593 m

  49. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Undergreens Road.

    Undergreens Road393 m

  50. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Hawcoat Lane.

    Hawcoat Lane1.2 km

  51. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Fairfield Lane.

    Fairfield Lane508 m

  52. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Jesmond Avenue.

    Jesmond Avenue202 m

  53. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Hornedale Avenue.

    Hornedale Avenue131 m

  54. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Mayfair Avenue.

    Mayfair Avenue77 m

  55. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Lyndale Avenue.

    Lyndale Avenue135 m

  56. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Jesmond Avenue.

    Jesmond Avenue125 m

  57. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Fairfield Lane.

    Fairfield Lane508 m

  58. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Hollow Lane.

    Hollow Lane369 m

  59. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Abbey Road.

    Abbey Road820 m

  60. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Leith Flat Brow.

    Leith Flat Brow166 m

  61. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Rating Lane.

    Rating Lane130 m

  62. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Abbey Road.

    Abbey Road2.9 km

  63. Turn left:

    Move left onto Ramsden Square.

    Ramsden Square24 m

  64. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Ramsden Square.

    14 m

  65. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto Ramsden Square.

    Ramsden Square23 m

  66. Turn left:

    Move left onto Duke Street.

    Duke Street267 m

  67. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Cornwallis Street.

    Cornwallis Street736 m

  68. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Jute Road.

    18 m

  69. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto Jute Road.

    Jute Road99 m

  70. Turn right:

    Turn right onto North Road/A590.

    North Road62 m

  71. Turn left:

    Move left onto Ironworks Road/A590.

    Ironworks Road961 m

  72. Turn left:

    Turn left onto A590/Walney Road.

    A590494 m

  73. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Phoenix Road.

    Phoenix Road625 m

  74. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Ironworks Road/A590.

    Ironworks Road140 m

  75. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Walney Road/A590.

    Walney Road344 m

  76. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Ashburner Way.

    Ashburner Way197 m

  77. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Ironworks Road/A590.

    Ironworks Road481 m

  78. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Walney Road/A590. Continue on A590.

    A590632 m

  79. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto North Road/A590.

    28 m

  80. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto North Road/A590.

    North Road72 m

  81. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Ironworks Road/A590.

    Ironworks Road858 m

  82. Turn left:

    Turn left onto James Freel Close.

    James Freel Close146 m

  83. Arrive:

    You have arrived at your destination.

Directions for the Barrow In Furness · Route 4 loop. Always drive to the road and conditions you see, not the list — signs, signals and other traffic take priority.

Local roads & landmarks

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.

Schools

Watch for 20 mph zones, crossings and children near these.

  • Furness College - The Copper Box
  • iBox
  • Victoria Infant and Nursery School

Churches

Useful navigation anchors on the loop.

  • St Paul
  • St Francis
  • Abbey Road Baptist Church

Parks & green space

Pedestrian crossings and parked cars are common nearby.

  • Coronation Gardens

Pubs

Easy landmarks to navigate the loop by.

  • Soccer Bar
  • Tally Ho
  • Strawberry
  • Furness Railway

Shops & parades

Frequent stop-start traffic and pedestrians, keep your speed down.

  • Farmfoods
  • CEF
  • Paul French
  • Subway

Watch out for

  • 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 1.9 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.

Drive it: landmark by landmark

Navigate by these 20 catalogued landmarks rather than a memorised turn list, an indicative loop, not an official DVSA route.

  1. Farmfoods

    Start near Farmfoods.

  2. Furness College - The Copper Box

    Continue to Furness College - The Copper Box.

  3. iBox

    Continue to iBox.

  4. CEF

    Continue to CEF.

  5. Soccer Bar

    Continue to Soccer Bar.

  6. Paul French

    Continue to Paul French.

  7. St Paul

    Continue to St Paul.

  8. Subway

    Continue to Subway.

  9. Victoria Infant and Nursery School

    Continue to Victoria Infant and Nursery School.

  10. St Francis

    Continue to St Francis.

  11. Tally Ho

    Continue to Tally Ho.

  12. Oak Road Street Shrine

    Continue to Oak Road Street Shrine.

  13. Strawberry

    Continue to Strawberry.

  14. Abbey Road Baptist Church

    Continue to Abbey Road Baptist Church.

  15. Co-op Food

    Continue to Co-op Food.

  16. Coronation Gardens

    Continue to Coronation Gardens.

  17. Furness Railway

    Continue to Furness Railway.

  18. Brewers Fayre

    Continue to Brewers Fayre.

  19. Decorating Centre

    Continue to Decorating Centre.

  20. Howdens Joinery

    Finish back near Howdens Joinery, completing the loop.

More routes at Barrow In Furness test centre

Route FAQs

This route is 32.3 km and takes about 30 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Barrow In Furness test centre, not an official DVSA route.