Near Birmingham Kings Heath test centre
Rated moderate from its real manoeuvre load, 8 roundabouts and 15 turns across 30 navigation steps.
This is an independent 49.9 km practice route 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, 20 mph zones, 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 named junctions, shops, churches 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 100-step drive on real, named roads (about 49.8 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 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 South2.1 km
Turn left 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 right onto Alcester Road.
Alcester Road655 m
Turn left 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 Lane1.8 km
Turn left onto Harbinger Road.
Harbinger Road253 m
Move left onto Walkers Heath Road.
Walkers Heath Road896 m
Move right onto Longdales Road.
Longdales Road331 m
Turn right onto Primrose Hill.
Primrose Hill1.2 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 4th exit onto Wharf Road.
59 m
Exit the roundabout onto Wharf Road.
Wharf Road763 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Monyhull Hall Road.
31 m
Exit the roundabout onto Monyhull Hall Road.
Monyhull Hall Road1.1 km
Turn right onto Brandwood Park Road.
Brandwood Park Road932 m
Turn right onto Kinsey Grove.
Kinsey Grove137 m
Turn left onto Bayston Road.
Bayston Road177 m
Turn left onto Broad Lane.
Broad Lane1.0 km
Move left onto Monyhull Hall Road.
Monyhull Hall Road1.1 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Parsons Hill.
31 m
Exit the roundabout onto Parsons Hill.
Parsons Hill766 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A441/Redditch Road.
14 m
Exit the roundabout onto A441/Redditch Road.
A4411.1 km
Turn right onto Grange Hill Road.
Grange Hill Road1.0 km
Turn right onto Rednal Road.
Rednal Road544 m
Turn right onto Beaks Hill Road.
Beaks Hill Road219 m
Turn left onto Meadow Hill Road.
Meadow Hill Road535 m
Turn right onto Wychall Lane.
Wychall Lane290 m
Turn left onto Westhill Road.
Westhill Road536 m
Turn right onto A441/Pershore Road South.
A441656 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Wharf Road.
7 m
Exit the roundabout onto Wharf Road.
Wharf Road763 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Monyhull Hall Road.
31 m
Exit the roundabout onto Monyhull Hall Road.
Monyhull Hall Road1.1 km
Turn right onto Brandwood Park Road.
Brandwood Park Road932 m
Turn right onto Kinsey Grove.
Kinsey Grove137 m
Turn left onto Bayston Road.
Bayston Road177 m
Turn left onto Broad Lane.
Broad Lane1.0 km
Move left onto Monyhull Hall Road.
Monyhull Hall Road1.1 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Parsons Hill.
31 m
Exit the roundabout onto Parsons Hill.
Parsons Hill766 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 4th exit onto A441/Pershore Road South.
45 m
Exit the roundabout onto A441/Pershore Road South.
A441666 m
Turn left onto Camp Lane.
Camp Lane1.0 km
Turn left onto The Green.
The Green290 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Wharf Road.
26 m
Exit the roundabout onto Wharf Road.
Wharf Road763 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Monyhull Hall Road.
31 m
Exit the roundabout onto Monyhull Hall Road.
Monyhull Hall Road1.1 km
Turn right onto Brandwood Park Road.
Brandwood Park Road932 m
Turn right onto Kinsey Grove.
Kinsey Grove137 m
Turn left onto Bayston Road.
Bayston Road177 m
Turn left onto Broad Lane.
Broad Lane1.0 km
Move left onto Monyhull Hall Road.
Monyhull Hall Road1.1 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Parsons Hill.
31 m
Exit the roundabout onto Parsons Hill.
Parsons Hill76 m
Turn right to stay on Parsons Hill.
Parsons Hill209 m
Make a sharp left to stay on Parsons Hill.
Parsons Hill282 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Bells Lane.
49 m
Exit the roundabout onto Bells Lane.
Bells Lane2.1 km
Enter The Maypole and take the 1st exit onto A435/Alcester Road South.
The Maypole8 m
Exit the roundabout onto A435/Alcester Road South. Continue on A435.
A4351.4 km
Turn left onto Broad Lane.
Broad Lane1.1 km
Move left onto Monyhull Hall Road.
Monyhull Hall Road1.1 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Bells Lane.
5 m
Exit the roundabout onto Bells Lane.
Bells Lane1.4 km
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 Road107 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Birmingham Kings Heath · Route 6 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 4.1 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.
Changing speed limits
Limits change across this route (20, 30, 40 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.
Vision Republic
Continue to Vision Republic.
Kingswood Meeting House
Continue to Kingswood Meeting House.
Packhorse
Continue to Packhorse.
Envy Nails
Continue to Envy Nails.
Hollywood Fish Bar
Continue to Hollywood Fish Bar.
Tesco Express
Continue to Tesco Express.
Druids Heath Tenant Management Co-operative
Continue to Druids Heath Tenant Management Co-operative.
Navigation Inn
Continue to Navigation Inn.
T Block
Continue to T Block.
Shooting Stars Nursery
Continue to Shooting Stars Nursery.
Kings Norton Baptist Church
Continue to Kings Norton Baptist Church.
Camp
Continue to Camp.
Kings Norton Nursery School
Continue to Kings Norton Nursery School.
Kings Norton Primary School
Continue to Kings Norton Primary School.
Greenery
Continue to Greenery.
Kings Norton Christadelphian Hall
Continue to Kings Norton Christadelphian Hall.
Millpool Campus - City of Birmingham School
Continue to Millpool Campus - City of Birmingham School.
Horseshoe
Continue to Horseshoe.
Saber Autospares
Finish back near Saber Autospares, completing the loop.
3 roundabouts · 18 turns
5 roundabouts · 20 turns
9 roundabouts · 19 turns
4 roundabouts · 17 turns
This route is 49.9 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.