Near Birmingham Kings Heath test centre
Rated moderate from its real manoeuvre load, 5 roundabouts and 21 turns across 29 navigation steps.
This is an independent 38.9 km practice loop near Birmingham Kings Heath 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 Maypole. 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, 20 mph zones, changing speed limits, residential manoeuvres, busy a-roads and independent driving. 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 named junctions, shops, schools and pubs, 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 Birmingham Kings Heath 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 104-step drive on real, named roads (about 38.9 km). An indicative practice loop, not an official DVSA route — the roads and junctions are real, the sequence is a rehearsal.
Drive north.
33 m
Turn right onto Hawkhurst Road.
Hawkhurst Road233 m
Turn right onto Henlow Road.
Henlow Road114 m
Turn right onto Stotfold Road.
Stotfold Road302 m
Turn left onto A435/Alcester Road South.
A435195 m
Enter The Maypole and take the 1st exit onto Maypole Lane.
The Maypole9 m
Exit the roundabout onto Maypole Lane.
Maypole Lane491 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Highters Heath Lane.
15 m
Exit the roundabout onto Highters Heath Lane.
Highters Heath Lane659 m
Turn left onto Highters Road.
Highters Road23 m
Turn left to stay on Highters Road.
Highters Road25 m
Turn right onto Highters Heath Lane.
Highters Heath Lane628 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Maypole Lane.
35 m
Exit the roundabout onto Maypole Lane.
Maypole Lane484 m
Enter The Maypole and take the 2nd exit onto A435/Hollywood By-Pass.
The Maypole37 m
Exit the roundabout onto A435/Hollywood By-Pass.
A4353.7 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Alcester Road.
8 m
Exit the roundabout onto Alcester Road.
Alcester Road1.3 km
Turn right onto Shawhurst Lane.
Shawhurst Lane94 m
Turn left onto Paddocks Road.
Paddocks Road62 m
Turn left onto Burford Road.
Burford Road76 m
Turn right onto Alcester Road.
Alcester Road67 m
Turn right onto Danford Road.
Danford Road88 m
Turn right onto Paddocks Road.
Paddocks Road146 m
Turn right onto Shawhurst Lane.
Shawhurst Lane94 m
Turn left onto Alcester Road.
Alcester Road224 m
Turn left onto Houndsfield Road.
Houndsfield Road1.1 km
Turn left onto Oak Tree Lane.
Oak Tree Lane194 m
Turn right onto Sycamore Drive.
Sycamore Drive127 m
Turn right onto Beech Road.
Beech Road161 m
Turn right onto Hollywood Lane.
Hollywood Lane212 m
Turn right onto Houndsfield Road.
Houndsfield Road158 m
Turn right onto Oak Tree Lane.
Oak Tree Lane61 m
Turn left onto Bramley Drive.
Bramley Drive108 m
Turn right to stay on Bramley Drive.
Bramley Drive11 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Bramley Drive.
Bramley Drive11 m
Turn left to stay on Bramley Drive.
Bramley Drive107 m
Turn left onto Oak Tree Lane.
Oak Tree Lane133 m
Turn left onto Sycamore Drive.
Sycamore Drive507 m
Turn left onto Houndsfield Road.
Houndsfield Road682 m
Turn left onto Hollywood Lane.
Hollywood Lane680 m
Turn left onto Corbett Road.
Corbett Road478 m
Turn left onto Lee Road.
Lee Road143 m
Turn left onto May Lane.
May Lane185 m
Turn right onto Shawhurst Lane.
Shawhurst Lane211 m
Turn right onto Beaudesert Road.
Beaudesert Road304 m
Turn right onto Oakwood Road.
Oakwood Road156 m
Turn left onto May Lane.
May Lane116 m
Turn right onto Alcester Road.
Alcester Road1.5 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Alcester Road South.
17 m
Exit the roundabout onto Alcester Road South.
Alcester Road South68 m
Enter The Maypole and take the 3rd exit onto A435/Alcester Road South.
The Maypole71 m
Exit the roundabout onto A435/Alcester Road South. Continue on A435.
A4351.4 km
Turn left onto Broad Lane.
Broad Lane1.1 km
Turn right onto Brandwood Road.
Brandwood Road345 m
Turn right onto Oakwood Drive.
Oakwood Drive53 m
Make a right U-turn at Oakwood Drive to stay on Oakwood Drive.
Oakwood Drive38 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Oakwood Drive.
Oakwood Drive7 m
Make a left U-turn at Oakwood Drive to stay on Oakwood Drive.
Oakwood Drive84 m
Turn right onto Brandwood Road.
Brandwood Road337 m
Turn right onto Woodthorpe Road.
Woodthorpe Road655 m
Turn left onto A435/Alcester Road South.
A4356 m
Turn right onto Taylor Road.
Taylor Road201 m
Turn right onto May Lane.
May Lane456 m
Turn left onto Ardley Road.
Ardley Road300 m
Turn left onto Haunch Lane.
Haunch Lane114 m
Turn left onto Taylor Road.
Taylor Road509 m
Turn left onto A435/Alcester Road South. Continue on A435.
A4352.2 km
Enter The Maypole and take the 2nd exit onto Alcester Road South.
The Maypole47 m
Exit the roundabout onto Alcester Road South.
Alcester Road South74 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Alcester Road South.
25 m
Exit the roundabout onto Alcester Road South.
Alcester Road South1.5 km
Turn right onto Packhorse Lane.
Packhorse Lane1.6 km
Turn left onto Middle Lane.
Middle Lane956 m
Turn left onto Silver Street.
Silver Street1.1 km
Turn left onto Alcester Road.
Alcester Road853 m
Turn right onto May Lane.
May Lane317 m
Turn left onto Lee Road.
Lee Road143 m
Turn right onto Corbett Road.
Corbett Road79 m
Turn left onto Heath Road.
Heath Road222 m
Turn right onto Dyas Road.
Dyas Road76 m
Turn left onto Corbett Road.
Corbett Road142 m
Turn left onto Hollywood Lane.
Hollywood Lane719 m
Turn right onto Alcester Road.
Alcester Road800 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Alcester Road South.
17 m
Exit the roundabout onto Alcester Road South.
Alcester Road South68 m
Enter The Maypole and take the 2nd exit onto Druids Lane.
The Maypole39 m
Exit the roundabout onto Druids Lane.
Druids Lane1.3 km
Turn right.
63 m
Turn left onto Bells Lane.
Bells Lane682 m
Turn left onto Manningford Road.
Manningford Road1.3 km
Turn left to stay on Manningford Road.
Manningford Road119 m
Turn right onto A435/Alcester Road South.
A435140 m
Turn right onto Idmiston Croft.
Idmiston Croft96 m
Turn left onto Baverstock Road.
Baverstock Road112 m
Turn right to stay on Baverstock Road.
Baverstock Road228 m
Turn left onto Manningford Road.
Manningford Road404 m
Turn left onto Bells Lane.
Bells Lane695 m
Enter The Maypole and take the 1st exit onto A435/Alcester Road South.
The Maypole8 m
Exit the roundabout onto A435/Alcester Road South.
A435275 m
Turn left onto Idmiston Croft.
Idmiston Croft128 m
Turn right to stay on Idmiston Croft.
Idmiston Croft37 m
Turn right to stay on Idmiston Croft.
Idmiston Croft25 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Birmingham Kings Heath · Route 12 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 7.7 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 (20, 30, 40, 70 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.
Maypole
Start near Maypole.
A K Hair
Continue to A K Hair.
J J's Barbers
Continue to J J's Barbers.
Flower Exchange
Continue to Flower Exchange.
Ethos Hair & Beauty
Continue to Ethos Hair & Beauty.
Lacey's Craft Butchers
Continue to Lacey's Craft Butchers.
Millpool Campus - City of Birmingham School
Continue to Millpool Campus - City of Birmingham School.
Broad Lane Chippy
Continue to Broad Lane Chippy.
Istanbul Blade
Continue to Istanbul Blade.
Busy Bees Nursery
Continue to Busy Bees Nursery.
Horseshoe
Continue to Horseshoe.
Kings Arms
Continue to Kings Arms.
Fishermans Friend
Continue to Fishermans Friend.
Kingswood Meeting House
Continue to Kingswood Meeting House.
Packhorse
Continue to Packhorse.
Rose Bank Stores & Saddlery
Continue to Rose Bank Stores & Saddlery.
War Memorial
Continue to War Memorial.
H Bennett Lawn Turf
Continue to H Bennett Lawn Turf.
Druids Heath Community Library & Neighbourhood Centre
Continue to Druids Heath Community Library & Neighbourhood Centre.
Pattine's Unisex Salon
Finish back near Pattine's Unisex Salon, completing the loop.
3 roundabouts · 18 turns
5 roundabouts · 20 turns
9 roundabouts · 19 turns
4 roundabouts · 17 turns
This route is 38.9 km and takes about 40 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Birmingham Kings Heath test centre, not an official DVSA route.