Near Birmingham (South Yardley) test centre
Rated moderate from its real manoeuvre load, 7 roundabouts, 14 turns and 2 signalled junctions across 24 navigation steps.
This is an independent 41.0 km practice loop near Birmingham (South Yardley) 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.
Along the way you'll meet Castle Lane. 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, 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, pubs, churches and parks, 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 101-step drive on real, named roads (about 41.0 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.
A45578 m
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 Road326 m
Turn left onto Barn Lane.
Barn Lane802 m
Turn right onto Lyndon Road.
Lyndon Road523 m
Turn left onto Ulleries Road.
Ulleries Road629 m
Turn left onto Colesbourne Road.
Colesbourne Road163 m
Turn left onto Daylesford Road.
Daylesford Road456 m
Turn right onto Campden Green.
Campden Green390 m
Turn left to stay on Campden Green.
Campden Green109 m
Turn right onto Melton Avenue.
Melton Avenue103 m
Turn right onto Evenlode Road.
Evenlode Road287 m
Turn left onto Daylesford Road.
Daylesford Road185 m
Turn left onto Colesbourne Road.
Colesbourne Road342 m
Turn right onto Evenlode Road.
Evenlode Road108 m
Turn left onto Melton Avenue.
Melton Avenue452 m
Turn right to stay on Melton Avenue.
Melton Avenue582 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Hobs Moat Road/B425.
47 m
Exit the roundabout onto Hobs Moat Road/B425.
Hobs Moat Road59 m
Turn left.
11 m
Turn right onto Hobs Moat Road.
Hobs Moat Road358 m
Turn left onto Merevale Road.
Merevale Road293 m
Turn left onto Old Lode Lane.
Old Lode Lane1.1 km
Turn right onto Hobs Moat Road/B425.
Hobs Moat Road115 m
Turn left onto A45/Coventry Road. Continue on A45.
A453.1 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 Lane611 m
Turn left.
23 m
Turn right onto Millhouse Road.
Millhouse Road533 m
Turn left onto Bordesley Green East/B4128.
Bordesley Green East627 m
Turn right onto Eastfield Road.
Eastfield Road882 m
Turn left onto Cotterills Lane.
Cotterills Lane764 m
Turn left onto Alum Rock Road.
Alum Rock Road415 m
Turn right onto Brook Hill Road.
Brook Hill Road40 m
Move left onto Sutton Approach.
Sutton Approach76 m
Move left onto Tranter Road.
Tranter Road298 m
Turn right onto Parkway.
Parkway245 m
Turn right onto Sunnydene.
Sunnydene163 m
Turn left onto Tranter Road.
Tranter Road187 m
Move right onto Sutton Approach.
Sutton Approach76 m
Move right onto Brook Hill Road.
Brook Hill Road40 m
Turn left onto Alum Rock Road.
Alum Rock Road415 m
Turn right onto Cotterills Lane.
Cotterills Lane763 m
Turn right onto Eastfield Road.
Eastfield Road868 m
Turn left onto Bordesley Green East/B4128. Continue on Bordesley Green East.
Bordesley Green East1.1 km
Turn right onto Station Road/A4040. Continue on A4040.
A40401.3 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Church Road.
15 m
Exit the roundabout onto Church Road.
Church Road58 m
Turn right onto Yew Tree Lane.
Yew Tree Lane740 m
Turn right.
29 m
Turn left onto A45/Coventry Road.
A451.8 km
Take the exit on the right.
A45118 m
Turn right to take the ramp.
A4516 m
Turn right onto Hobs Moat Road/B425.
Hobs Moat Road451 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Hobs Moat Road/B425.
28 m
Exit the roundabout onto Hobs Moat Road/B425.
Hobs Moat Road841 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Lode Lane/B425.
49 m
Exit the roundabout onto Lode Lane/B425. Continue on Lode Lane.
Lode Lane1.3 km
Make a left U-turn at Lode Lane to stay on Lode Lane.
Lode Lane141 m
Turn right onto Bramcote Drive.
Bramcote Drive63 m
Turn right onto Barnmoor Rise.
Barnmoor Rise20 m
Turn left.
55 m
Turn left onto Bramcote Drive.
Bramcote Drive135 m
Turn left onto Lode Lane.
Lode Lane126 m
Make a right U-turn at Lode Lane to stay on Lode Lane.
Lode Lane1.4 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Castle Lane.
15 m
Exit the roundabout onto Castle Lane.
Castle Lane389 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Moordown Avenue.
109 m
Exit the roundabout onto Moordown Avenue.
Moordown Avenue386 m
Turn left onto Ulleries Road.
Ulleries Road483 m
Turn right onto Lyndon Road.
Lyndon Road523 m
Turn left onto Barn Lane.
Barn Lane540 m
Turn right onto Shalford Road.
Shalford Road413 m
Turn left to stay on Shalford Road.
Shalford Road93 m
Turn left onto Hardwick Road.
Hardwick Road206 m
Turn right onto Shalford Road.
Shalford Road114 m
Turn left onto Barn Lane.
Barn Lane308 m
Turn left onto Wagon Lane.
Wagon Lane202 m
Turn left onto Amberley Road.
Amberley Road253 m
Turn right onto Barn Lane.
Barn Lane652 m
Turn right onto Woodcock Lane North.
Woodcock Lane North1.3 km
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.
A45578 m
Take the exit on the right.
62 m
Turn right onto A45/Coventry Road.
A45171 m
Turn left onto Clay Lane.
Clay Lane1.3 km
Turn left onto The Vineries.
The Vineries181 m
Turn left onto Clay Lane.
Clay Lane461 m
Turn right to stay on Clay Lane.
Clay Lane302 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Birmingham (South Yardley) · Route 19 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.
Pedestrian crossings and parked cars are common nearby.
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 6.2 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.
Journey's End
Continue to Journey's End.
Mucky Pups Day Nursery
Continue to Mucky Pups Day Nursery.
St Margaret's Pre-school at Chapelfields
Continue to St Margaret's Pre-school at Chapelfields.
Lyndon Methodist Church
Continue to Lyndon Methodist Church.
Buttercups & Dandelions Day Nursery
Continue to Buttercups & Dandelions Day Nursery.
Manarat Foundation
Continue to Manarat Foundation.
South Yardley Methodist Church
Continue to South Yardley Methodist Church.
Bordesley Green East Park
Continue to Bordesley Green East Park.
Church of God of Prophecy
Continue to Church of God of Prophecy.
Brook Hill
Continue to Brook Hill.
Faizan e Medina
Continue to Faizan e Medina.
St Michael and All Angels
Continue to St Michael and All Angels.
Yardley Baptist Church
Continue to Yardley Baptist Church.
Wheatsheaf
Continue to Wheatsheaf.
Riley's Snooker
Continue to Riley's Snooker.
Castle Lane
Continue to Castle Lane, taking the junction with good observation.
Acrewood Nursery & Pre-school
Continue to Acrewood Nursery & Pre-school.
C K News
Continue to C K News.
Clay Lane Fish Bar
Finish back near Clay Lane Fish Bar, 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 41.0 km and takes about 35 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.