Near Birmingham (South Yardley) test centre
Rated challenging from its real manoeuvre load, 9 roundabouts, 13 turns and 4 signalled junctions across 28 navigation steps.
This is an independent 41.1 km practice loop near Birmingham (South Yardley) 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.
On this route you’ll practise multiple roundabouts, dual-carriageway joins, 20 mph zones, 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 schools, 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 (South Yardley) 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 121-step drive on real, named roads (about 41.5 km). An indicative practice loop, not an official DVSA route — the roads and junctions are real, the sequence is a rehearsal.
Drive north on Clay Lane.
Clay Lane727 m
Turn left onto A45/Coventry Road.
A4595 m
Move left.
347 m
Enter Swan Island and take the 4th exit onto A45/Coventry Road.
Swan Island187 m
Exit the roundabout onto A45/Coventry Road.
A451.1 km
Take the exit on the right.
72 m
Turn right onto Gilbertstone Avenue.
Gilbertstone Avenue25 m
Keep right to stay on Gilbertstone Avenue.
Gilbertstone Avenue816 m
Turn right onto Clay Lane.
Clay Lane669 m
Turn left onto A45/Coventry Road.
A45922 m
Move right.
97 m
Turn right onto Holder Road.
Holder Road6 m
Turn right onto A45/Coventry Road. Continue on A45.
A45283 m
Move left.
233 m
Enter Swan Island and take the 1st exit onto Church Road/A4040.
Swan Island30 m
Exit the roundabout onto Church Road/A4040.
Church Road431 m
Move left to stay on Church Road/A4040.
Church Road112 m
Move left to stay on Church Road/A4040.
Church Road202 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Church Road.
50 m
Exit the roundabout onto Church Road.
Church Road807 m
Turn left onto Blakesley Road.
Blakesley Road232 m
Turn left onto Stoney Lane/A4040.
Stoney Lane261 m
Turn left.
106 m
Keep right at the fork.
90 m
Move right onto Stoney Lane/A4040.
Stoney Lane39 m
Keep right to stay on Stoney Lane/A4040.
Stoney Lane30 m
Turn left onto Blakesley Road.
Blakesley Road101 m
Keep right to stay on Blakesley Road.
Blakesley Road230 m
Keep right to stay on Blakesley Road.
Blakesley Road110 m
Turn left onto Homelea Road.
Homelea Road167 m
Turn left onto Debenham Road.
Debenham Road90 m
Turn left onto Clements Road.
Clements Road12 m
Keep left to stay on Clements Road.
Clements Road384 m
Turn right onto Bowater Avenue.
Bowater Avenue203 m
Turn right onto Stuarts Drive.
Stuarts Drive101 m
Turn right onto Stuarts Road.
Stuarts Road105 m
Turn right onto Bowater Avenue.
Bowater Avenue203 m
Turn right onto Stuarts Drive.
Stuarts Drive101 m
Turn right onto Stuarts Road.
Stuarts Road210 m
Turn right onto Manor Gardens.
Manor Gardens236 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Manor Gardens.
Manor Gardens112 m
Turn right onto Levante Gardens.
Levante Gardens121 m
Turn right onto Bordesley Green East/B4128.
Bordesley Green East114 m
Keep left to stay on Bordesley Green East.
Bordesley Green East117 m
Keep left to stay on Bordesley Green East.
Bordesley Green East197 m
Turn right.
17 m
Turn left onto Bordesley Green East.
Bordesley Green East62 m
Turn right onto Bordeseley Green East.
Bordeseley Green East49 m
Turn left to stay on Bordeseley Green East.
Bordeseley Green East6 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Bordeseley Green East.
Bordeseley Green East6 m
Turn right to stay on Bordeseley Green East.
Bordeseley Green East49 m
Turn left onto Bordesley Green East.
Bordesley Green East62 m
Turn right.
17 m
Turn left onto Bordesley Green East.
Bordesley Green East188 m
Keep left to stay on Bordesley Green East.
Bordesley Green East1.2 km
Turn left onto Little Bromwich Road.
Little Bromwich Road488 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Newbridge Road.
32 m
Exit the roundabout onto Newbridge Road.
Newbridge Road597 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Hob Moor Road.
14 m
Exit the roundabout onto Hob Moor Road.
Hob Moor Road682 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Wash Lane.
55 m
Exit the roundabout onto Wash Lane.
Wash Lane739 m
Move left onto Waterloo Road.
Waterloo Road401 m
Turn right onto Stockfield Road/A4040.
Stockfield Road91 m
Turn left onto Mansfield Road.
Mansfield Road224 m
Turn right onto Yardley Road/B4146.
Yardley Road748 m
Turn left onto The Avenue.
The Avenue155 m
Keep left to stay on The Avenue.
The Avenue462 m
Keep left to stay on The Avenue.
The Avenue103 m
Move left to stay on The Avenue.
The Avenue30 m
Turn right to stay on The Avenue.
The Avenue102 m
Turn left onto Lincoln Road.
Lincoln Road91 m
Keep right to take Lincoln Road North.
Lincoln Road North111 m
Turn right onto Pierce Avenue.
Pierce Avenue552 m
Turn right onto Richmond Road.
Richmond Road380 m
Turn left onto Lyndon Road.
Lyndon Road610 m
Keep straight to stay on Lyndon Road.
Lyndon Road370 m
Keep left to stay on Lyndon Road.
Lyndon Road135 m
Turn left onto Barn Lane.
Barn Lane232 m
Turn right onto Wagon Lane.
Wagon Lane868 m
Turn left onto A45/New Coventry Road. Continue on A45.
A452.2 km
Move right.
97 m
Turn right onto Holder Road.
Holder Road631 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Wash Lane.
36 m
Exit the roundabout onto Wash Lane.
Wash Lane612 m
Turn left.
23 m
Turn right onto Millhouse Road.
Millhouse Road38 m
Make a sharp right onto Wash Lane.
Wash Lane657 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Wash Lane.
36 m
Exit the roundabout onto Wash Lane.
Wash Lane625 m
Turn left onto A45/Coventry Road. Continue on A45.
A451.1 km
Take the exit on the right.
62 m
Turn right onto A45/Coventry Road.
A451.1 km
Move right.
97 m
Turn right onto Holder Road.
Holder Road6 m
Turn right onto A45/Coventry Road. Continue on A45.
A451.1 km
Take the exit on the right.
62 m
Turn right onto A45/Coventry Road.
A45171 m
Turn left onto Clay Lane.
Clay Lane913 m
Turn left to stay on Clay Lane.
Clay Lane199 m
Turn left onto Bosworth Road.
Bosworth Road678 m
Turn left onto Pierce Avenue.
Pierce Avenue85 m
Turn left onto Howard Road.
Howard Road316 m
Turn right onto Rock Road.
Rock Road165 m
Keep left to stay on Rock Road.
Rock Road97 m
Turn right onto Pierce Avenue.
Pierce Avenue173 m
Turn right onto Lincoln Road North.
Lincoln Road North352 m
Turn left onto Clay Lane.
Clay Lane293 m
Turn right onto Woodcock Lane North.
Woodcock Lane North1.3 km
Turn left onto A45/Coventry Road.
A45923 m
Move right.
97 m
Turn right onto Holder Road.
Holder Road6 m
Turn right onto A45/Coventry Road. Continue on A45.
A452.6 km
Take the exit on the right.
Coventry Road140 m
Turn right onto Lyndon Road.
Lyndon Road215 m
Keep left to stay on Lyndon Road.
Lyndon Road1.1 km
Turn right onto Chapel Fields Road.
Chapel Fields Road238 m
Turn right onto Richmond Road.
Richmond Road556 m
Turn left onto Barn Lane.
Barn Lane876 m
Turn right onto Woodcock Lane North.
Woodcock Lane North673 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Birmingham (South Yardley) · Route 11 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 11.7 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.
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.
EBN Academy
Start near EBN Academy.
Yardley Fish Bar
Continue to Yardley Fish Bar.
South Yardley Methodist Church
Continue to South Yardley Methodist Church.
Clumsy Swan
Continue to Clumsy Swan.
Patel's
Continue to Patel's.
Blakesley Centre
Continue to Blakesley Centre.
Bordesley Green East Nursery School
Continue to Bordesley Green East Nursery School.
Faizan e Medina
Continue to Faizan e Medina.
Newbridge Baptist Church
Continue to Newbridge Baptist Church.
Starbank School
Continue to Starbank School.
Hay Mills Congregational Church
Continue to Hay Mills Congregational Church.
Waterloo Road Chapel
Continue to Waterloo Road Chapel.
Acocks Green Baptist Church
Continue to Acocks Green Baptist Church.
Lyndon
Continue to Lyndon.
Nisa
Continue to Nisa.
2M's
Continue to 2M's.
Journey's End
Continue to Journey's End.
Acrewood Nursery & Pre-school
Continue to Acrewood Nursery & Pre-school.
Londis
Continue to Londis.
Lyndon Methodist Church
Finish back near Lyndon Methodist Church, completing the loop.
4 roundabouts · 25 turns · 3 sets of lights
6 roundabouts · 18 turns · 3 sets of lights
10 roundabouts · 13 turns · 4 sets of lights
8 roundabouts · 17 turns · 2 sets of lights
This route is 41.1 km and takes about 40 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Birmingham (South Yardley) test centre, not an official DVSA route.