Near Birmingham (South Yardley) test centre
Rated moderate from its real manoeuvre load, 11 roundabouts, 10 turns and 1 signalled junction across 25 navigation steps.
This is an independent 46.2 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.
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 churches, shops, parks and schools, 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 90-step drive on real, named roads (about 46.2 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.
A451.0 km
Turn left onto Forest Road.
Forest Road98 m
Move left onto Waterloo Road.
Waterloo Road401 m
Turn left onto Stockfield Road/A4040.
Stockfield Road117 m
Turn left onto Broadyates Road.
Broadyates Road353 m
Turn left onto A45/Coventry Road.
A45397 m
Turn left onto Forest Road.
Forest Road98 m
Move left onto Waterloo Road.
Waterloo Road401 m
Turn right onto Stockfield Road/A4040. Continue on A4040.
A40401.1 km
Turn left onto A41/Warwick Road. Continue on A41.
A41809 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto A41/Warwick Road.
19 m
Exit the roundabout onto A41/Warwick Road.
A413.7 km
Keep right to stay on Warwick Road.
Warwick Road492 m
Turn right onto Ashleigh Road.
Ashleigh Road383 m
Turn right onto Streetsbrook Road/B4025.
Streetsbrook Road1.8 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Streetsbrook Road/B4025.
17 m
Exit the roundabout onto Streetsbrook Road/B4025. Continue on B4025.
B40251.7 km
Enter Robin Hood Island and take the 4th exit onto A34/Stratford Road.
Robin Hood Island166 m
Exit the roundabout onto A34/Stratford Road.
A34848 m
Turn right onto Fox Hollies Road/A4040.
Fox Hollies Road620 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Fox Hollies Road/A4040.
38 m
Exit the roundabout onto Fox Hollies Road/A4040.
Fox Hollies Road1.1 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Olton Boulevard East/B4514.
114 m
Exit the roundabout onto Olton Boulevard East/B4514.
Olton Boulevard East533 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Olton Boulevard East/B4514.
113 m
Exit the roundabout onto Olton Boulevard East/B4514.
Olton Boulevard East797 m
Turn left to stay on Olton Boulevard East/B4514.
Olton Boulevard East41 m
Turn right onto A41/Warwick Road.
A41172 m
Turn right onto Olton Court.
Olton Court154 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Olton Court.
Olton Court154 m
Turn left onto A41/Warwick Road.
A41967 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Olton Boulevard East/B4514.
79 m
Exit the roundabout onto Olton Boulevard East/B4514.
Olton Boulevard East532 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Olton Boulevard East/B4514.
54 m
Exit the roundabout onto Olton Boulevard East/B4514.
Olton Boulevard East114 m
Turn left onto Shaftmoor Lane/B4217.
Shaftmoor Lane648 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Shaftmoor Lane/B4217.
35 m
Exit the roundabout onto Shaftmoor Lane/B4217.
Shaftmoor Lane272 m
Turn left onto Russell Road.
Russell Road236 m
Turn left onto York Road.
York Road200 m
Turn left onto Cateswell Road.
Cateswell Road151 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 4th exit onto Cateswell Road.
67 m
Exit the roundabout onto Cateswell Road.
Cateswell Road554 m
Turn left onto A34/Stratford Road.
A341.8 km
Enter Robin Hood Island and take the 3rd exit onto A34/Stratford Road.
Robin Hood Island109 m
Exit the roundabout onto A34/Stratford Road.
A341.7 km
Make a right U-turn to stay on A34/Stratford Road.
A34207 m
Turn right onto Solihull Road.
Solihull Road1.2 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Prospect Lane.
12 m
Exit the roundabout onto Prospect Lane.
Prospect Lane870 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Streetsbrook Road/B4025.
4 m
Exit the roundabout onto Streetsbrook Road/B4025. Continue on B4025.
B40251.4 km
Turn right onto Pitmaston Road.
Pitmaston Road405 m
Turn right onto Arkley Road.
Arkley Road147 m
Turn right onto Westhay Road.
Westhay Road88 m
Turn right onto Mapleton Road.
Mapleton Road385 m
Turn right onto Wellfield Road.
Wellfield Road151 m
Turn left onto Pitmaston Road.
Pitmaston Road112 m
Turn left onto Solihull Lane/B4025.
Solihull Lane201 m
Turn left onto Redstone Farm Road.
Redstone Farm Road514 m
Turn left onto Westhay Road.
Westhay Road21 m
Turn left to stay on Westhay Road.
Westhay Road22 m
Turn right onto Redstone Farm Road.
Redstone Farm Road485 m
Turn left onto Streetsbrook Road/B4025.
Streetsbrook Road1.2 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Streetsbrook Road/B4025.
21 m
Exit the roundabout onto Streetsbrook Road/B4025.
Streetsbrook Road506 m
Turn left to stay on Streetsbrook Road.
Streetsbrook Road24 m
Turn left to stay on Streetsbrook Road.
Streetsbrook Road511 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto St Bernards Road.
37 m
Exit the roundabout onto St Bernards Road.
St Bernards Road853 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto St Bernards Road.
29 m
Exit the roundabout onto St Bernards Road.
St Bernards Road1.1 km
Turn left onto A41/Warwick Road.
A4197 m
Turn left onto St. Margaret's Road.
St. Margaret's Road1.4 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 4th exit onto Kineton Green Road.
59 m
Exit the roundabout onto Kineton Green Road.
Kineton Green Road1.2 km
Turn left onto Brookvale Road.
Brookvale Road706 m
Turn right onto A41/Warwick Road.
A41401 m
Turn right onto St. Margaret's Road.
St. Margaret's Road1.4 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto St Bernards Road.
12 m
Exit the roundabout onto St Bernards Road.
St Bernards Road1.1 km
Turn left onto A41/Warwick Road.
A4197 m
Turn left onto St. Margaret's Road.
St. Margaret's Road85 m
Turn right onto Old Warwick Road.
Old Warwick Road223 m
Turn right onto A41/Warwick Road.
A41206 m
Turn left onto Richmond Road.
Richmond Road1.3 km
Turn left onto Barn Lane.
Barn Lane877 m
Turn right onto Woodcock Lane North.
Woodcock Lane North673 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Birmingham (South Yardley) · Route 21 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.
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 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.
Hay Mills Congregational Church
Start near Hay Mills Congregational Church.
Waterloo Road Chapel
Continue to Waterloo Road Chapel.
Vehicle Electrics
Continue to Vehicle Electrics.
St Mary the Virgin
Continue to St Mary the Virgin.
Olton Clock Tower Gardens and Park
Continue to Olton Clock Tower Gardens and Park.
Solihull Fire Station
Continue to Solihull Fire Station.
Busy Little Bees
Continue to Busy Little Bees.
Church of the Ascension
Continue to Church of the Ascension.
Wah Wing
Continue to Wah Wing.
Casey Joe's
Continue to Casey Joe's.
Russells Nursery
Continue to Russells Nursery.
Friends Meeting House
Continue to Friends Meeting House.
Honeypot House
Continue to Honeypot House.
Shirley Methodist Church
Continue to Shirley Methodist Church.
Smithtons Food Market
Continue to Smithtons Food Market.
Hair Company
Continue to Hair Company.
Church of the Holy Ghost and Mary Immaculate
Continue to Church of the Holy Ghost and Mary Immaculate.
Olton Project
Continue to Olton Project.
Lyndon
Continue to Lyndon.
Acrewood Nursery & Pre-school
Finish back near Acrewood Nursery & Pre-school, 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 46.2 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.