Near Birmingham Kings Heath test centre
Rated moderate from its real manoeuvre load, 9 roundabouts and 14 turns across 26 navigation steps.
This is an independent 39.8 km practice route near Birmingham Kings Heath test centre, taking roughly 35 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, 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 shops, schools, 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 115-step drive on real, named roads (about 39.8 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 Road312 m
Turn left onto Maypole Lane.
Maypole Lane152 m
Turn left onto Cotford Road.
Cotford Road340 m
Move left onto Sladepool Farm Road.
Sladepool Farm Road242 m
Turn left onto Henlow Road.
Henlow Road531 m
Turn left onto Maypole Lane.
Maypole Lane291 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Highters Heath Lane.
15 m
Exit the roundabout onto Highters Heath Lane.
Highters Heath Lane317 m
Turn left onto Glenavon Road.
Glenavon Road743 m
Turn right onto A435/Alcester Road South.
A435164 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on A435/Alcester Road South.
A435174 m
Turn left onto Glenavon Road.
Glenavon Road409 m
Turn left onto Highters Road.
Highters Road469 m
Turn right onto Highters Heath Lane.
Highters Heath Lane628 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 4th exit onto Highters Heath Lane.
50 m
Exit the roundabout onto Highters Heath Lane.
Highters Heath Lane1.1 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto School Road.
52 m
Exit the roundabout onto School Road.
School Road129 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto School Road.
55 m
Exit the roundabout onto School Road.
School Road1.1 km
Turn left onto Priory Road.
Priory Road175 m
Turn left onto Trittiford Road.
Trittiford Road1.1 km
Turn right onto Yardley Wood Road.
Yardley Wood Road342 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Brook Lane/A4040.
22 m
Exit the roundabout onto Brook Lane/A4040.
Brook Lane494 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Wheelers Lane/A4040.
14 m
Exit the roundabout onto Wheelers Lane/A4040.
Wheelers Lane411 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Wheelers Lane/A4040.
31 m
Exit the roundabout onto Wheelers Lane/A4040.
Wheelers Lane513 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Wheelers Lane.
23 m
Exit the roundabout onto Wheelers Lane.
Wheelers Lane312 m
Turn left onto A435/Alcester Road South.
A4351.2 km
Turn right onto Broad Lane.
Broad Lane767 m
Turn left onto Poston Croft.
Poston Croft48 m
Turn left to stay on Poston Croft.
Poston Croft87 m
Turn left to stay on Poston Croft.
Poston Croft48 m
Turn right onto Broad Lane.
Broad Lane767 m
Turn right onto A435/Alcester Road South. Continue on A435.
A4351.4 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 left onto May Lane.
May Lane116 m
Turn right onto Oakwood Road.
Oakwood Road156 m
Turn left onto Beaudesert Road.
Beaudesert Road159 m
Turn right onto The Hurst.
The Hurst149 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on The Hurst.
The Hurst149 m
Turn left onto Beaudesert Road.
Beaudesert Road159 m
Turn right onto Oakwood Road.
Oakwood Road156 m
Turn left onto May Lane.
May Lane116 m
Turn right onto Alcester Road.
Alcester Road1.1 km
Turn right onto Highters Heath Lane.
Highters Heath Lane553 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Highters Heath Lane.
23 m
Exit the roundabout onto Highters Heath Lane.
Highters Heath Lane1.1 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto School Road.
52 m
Exit the roundabout onto School Road.
School Road129 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Yardley Wood Road.
10 m
Exit the roundabout onto Yardley Wood Road.
Yardley Wood Road2.0 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Brook Lane/A4040.
22 m
Exit the roundabout onto Brook Lane/A4040.
Brook Lane253 m
Turn left.
23 m
Turn left onto Brook Lane.
Brook Lane225 m
Turn right onto Brook Lane/A4040.
Brook Lane43 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Brook Lane/A4040.
43 m
Exit the roundabout onto Brook Lane/A4040. Continue on A4040.
A4040911 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Robin Hood Lane.
31 m
Exit the roundabout onto Robin Hood Lane.
Robin Hood Lane685 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Robin Hood Lane.
55 m
Exit the roundabout onto Robin Hood Lane.
Robin Hood Lane116 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Robin Hood Lane.
Robin Hood Lane138 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Highfield Road.
11 m
Exit the roundabout onto Highfield Road.
Highfield Road215 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Highfield Road.
Highfield Road237 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Robin Hood Lane/A4040.
10 m
Exit the roundabout onto Robin Hood Lane/A4040. Continue on Robin Hood Lane.
Robin Hood Lane685 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Robin Hood Lane/A4040.
47 m
Exit the roundabout onto Robin Hood Lane/A4040. Continue on A4040.
A4040917 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Brook Lane/A4040.
40 m
Exit the roundabout onto Brook Lane/A4040.
Brook Lane494 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Wheelers Lane/A4040.
14 m
Exit the roundabout onto Wheelers Lane/A4040.
Wheelers Lane411 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Wheelers Lane/A4040.
31 m
Exit the roundabout onto Wheelers Lane/A4040.
Wheelers Lane513 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Howard Road East/A4040.
32 m
Exit the roundabout onto Howard Road East/A4040. Continue on A4040.
A4040981 m
Turn left onto Vicarage Road/A4040.
Vicarage Road513 m
Turn right onto Priory Road.
Priory Road327 m
Turn right onto Cartland Road.
Cartland Road225 m
Turn left onto Vicarage Road/A4040.
Vicarage Road214 m
Turn right onto Grove Road.
Grove Road660 m
Move right onto Brandwood Road.
Brandwood Road1.2 km
Turn left onto Broad Lane.
Broad Lane1.1 km
Turn right onto A435/Alcester Road South. Continue on A435.
A435273 m
Turn left onto Warstock Road.
Warstock Road874 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto School Road.
21 m
Exit the roundabout onto School Road.
School Road129 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto School Road.
55 m
Exit the roundabout onto School Road.
School Road486 m
Turn left onto Ripon Road.
Ripon Road112 m
Turn left onto Hindhead Road.
Hindhead Road104 m
Move left onto Cleeve Road.
Cleeve Road86 m
Turn right onto School Road.
School Road369 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto School Road.
76 m
Exit the roundabout onto School Road.
School Road127 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Warstock Road.
36 m
Exit the roundabout onto Warstock Road.
Warstock Road578 m
Turn left onto Grendon Road.
Grendon Road353 m
Turn left onto Glenavon Road.
Glenavon Road326 m
Make a sharp left to stay on Glenavon Road.
Glenavon Road162 m
Turn left onto Highters Road.
Highters Road22 m
Turn right onto Glenavon Road.
Glenavon Road409 m
Turn right onto A435/Alcester Road South. Continue on A435.
A435751 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Birmingham Kings Heath · Route 8 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.
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 3.5 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.
It's a Pound
Start near It's a Pound.
Millpool Campus - City of Birmingham School
Continue to Millpool Campus - City of Birmingham School.
Hollier & Browne
Continue to Hollier & Browne.
Christ Church
Continue to Christ Church.
Our Lady of Lourdes
Continue to Our Lady of Lourdes.
Peepo! Day Nursery
Continue to Peepo! Day Nursery.
Birmingham South Christadelphian Meeting Room
Continue to Birmingham South Christadelphian Meeting Room.
Horseshoe
Continue to Horseshoe.
Packhorse
Continue to Packhorse.
Immanuel Church Highters Heath
Continue to Immanuel Church Highters Heath.
Community of Christ
Continue to Community of Christ.
Full Gospel Tabernacle
Continue to Full Gospel Tabernacle.
Little Robins Day Nursery
Continue to Little Robins Day Nursery.
Cole Valley News
Continue to Cole Valley News.
Brook Lane Newsagent
Continue to Brook Lane Newsagent.
Red Lion
Continue to Red Lion.
Sam's Wines
Continue to Sam's Wines.
Broad Lane Chippy
Continue to Broad Lane Chippy.
Screwfix
Continue to Screwfix.
Oriental Chef
Finish back near Oriental Chef, completing the loop.
3 roundabouts · 18 turns
5 roundabouts · 20 turns
9 roundabouts · 19 turns
4 roundabouts · 17 turns
This route is 39.8 km and takes about 35 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.