Near Blyth test centre
Rated moderate from its real manoeuvre load, 8 roundabouts and 12 turns across 23 navigation steps.
This is an independent 40.5 km practice loop near Blyth 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, national-speed roads, 20 mph zones, changing speed limits, 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 stations, churches, shops 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 Blyth 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 145-step drive on real, named roads (about 41.7 km). An indicative practice loop, not an official DVSA route — the roads and junctions are real, the sequence is a rehearsal.
Drive southeast on Freehold Street.
Freehold Street39 m
Turn right onto Carlton Street.
Carlton Street62 m
Turn right onto Percy Street.
Percy Street94 m
Turn left onto Bridge Street/B1328. Continue on Bridge Street.
Bridge Street143 m
Turn left onto Union Street/B1327.
Union Street454 m
Turn right onto Plessey Road/B1327.
Plessey Road212 m
Turn left onto Plessey Avenue.
Plessey Avenue143 m
Turn right onto Hunter Avenue.
Hunter Avenue213 m
Turn right onto Shotton Avenue.
Shotton Avenue73 m
Turn right onto Hedley Avenue.
Hedley Avenue194 m
Turn left onto Plessey Avenue.
Plessey Avenue74 m
Turn left onto Plessey Road/B1327.
Plessey Road400 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Rotary Way/A193.
5 m
Exit the roundabout onto Rotary Way/A193.
Rotary Way527 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Rotary Way/A193.
38 m
Exit the roundabout onto Rotary Way/A193.
Rotary Way149 m
Keep straight to stay on Rotary Way/A193.
Rotary Way495 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Links Road/A193.
45 m
Exit the roundabout onto Links Road/A193.
Links Road1.9 km
Keep right to stay on Links Road/A193.
Links Road329 m
Keep right to stay on Links Road/A193.
Links Road109 m
Keep right to stay on Links Road/A193.
Links Road65 m
Turn right onto Seafield Mews.
Seafield Mews57 m
Turn right to stay on Seafield Mews.
Seafield Mews11 m
Turn left onto Links Road/A193.
Links Road125 m
Keep left to stay on Links Road/A193.
Links Road105 m
Keep left to stay on Links Road/A193.
Links Road224 m
Keep left to stay on Links Road/A193.
Links Road121 m
Keep right to stay on Links Road/A193.
Links Road1.8 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit.
68 m
Exit the roundabout onto Rotary Way/A193.
Rotary Way638 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Rotary Way/A193.
40 m
Exit the roundabout onto Rotary Way/A193.
Rotary Way430 m
Keep right to stay on Rotary Way/A193.
Rotary Way74 m
Turn left onto Plessey Road/B1523.
Plessey Road1.5 km
Make a right U-turn to stay on Plessey Road/B1523.
Plessey Road275 m
Move right onto Wharton Street.
Wharton Street217 m
Turn left onto Druridge Drive.
Druridge Drive42 m
Keep straight to stay on Druridge Drive.
Druridge Drive256 m
Turn right onto Cresswell Drive.
Cresswell Drive81 m
Keep right to stay on Cresswell Drive.
Cresswell Drive41 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Cresswell Drive.
Cresswell Drive123 m
Turn left onto Druridge Drive.
Druridge Drive298 m
Turn right onto Wharton Street.
Wharton Street217 m
Turn left onto Winship Street.
Winship Street218 m
Turn left onto Plessey Road/B1523.
Plessey Road1.4 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Rotary Way/A193.
35 m
Exit the roundabout onto Rotary Way/A193.
Rotary Way528 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Rotary Way/A193.
38 m
Exit the roundabout onto Rotary Way/A193.
Rotary Way74 m
Keep straight to stay on Rotary Way/A193.
Rotary Way570 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Links Road/A193.
45 m
Exit the roundabout onto Links Road/A193.
Links Road1.9 km
Keep right to stay on Links Road/A193.
Links Road224 m
Keep right to stay on Links Road/A193.
Links Road105 m
Keep right to stay on Links Road/A193.
Links Road109 m
Keep right to stay on A193.
A193581 m
Enter Links Road and take the 4th exit onto Fountain Head Bank/A190.
Links Road125 m
Exit the roundabout onto Fountain Head Bank/A190.
Fountain Head Bank119 m
Turn left onto Parkfield.
Parkfield186 m
Turn left to stay on Parkfield.
Parkfield71 m
Turn left onto Cresswell Avenue.
Cresswell Avenue117 m
Turn right to stay on Cresswell Avenue.
Cresswell Avenue48 m
Turn left to stay on Cresswell Avenue.
Cresswell Avenue35 m
Enter Links Road and take the 1st exit onto Fountain Head Bank/A190.
Links Road11 m
Exit the roundabout onto Fountain Head Bank/A190.
Fountain Head Bank90 m
Turn right to stay on Fountain Head Bank.
Fountain Head Bank166 m
Turn left onto St. Ronan's Drive.
St. Ronan's Drive11 m
Turn right onto Fountain Head Bank/A190. Continue on A190.
A190114 m
Keep straight to take The Avenue/A190.
The Avenue1.4 km
Turn right onto St. Michael's Avenue.
St. Michael's Avenue1.4 km
Turn left onto Bristol Street.
Bristol Street636 m
Keep right to take Double Row.
Double Row893 m
Turn left onto A192.
A192898 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 5th exit onto Astley Road/A192.
76 m
Exit the roundabout onto Astley Road/A192. Continue on A192.
A1921.2 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A192.
32 m
Exit the roundabout onto A192.
A1922.8 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Laverock Hall Road/A1061.
143 m
Exit the roundabout onto Laverock Hall Road/A1061.
Laverock Hall Road250 m
Keep right to stay on Laverock Hall Road/A1061.
Laverock Hall Road143 m
Keep left to stay on Laverock Hall Road/A1061.
Laverock Hall Road274 m
Keep left to stay on Laverock Hall Road/A1061.
Laverock Hall Road174 m
Keep right to stay on Laverock Hall Road/A1061.
Laverock Hall Road103 m
Keep right to stay on Laverock Hall Road/A1061.
Laverock Hall Road126 m
Keep right to stay on Laverock Hall Road/A1061.
Laverock Hall Road150 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Laverock Hall Road/A1061.
47 m
Exit the roundabout onto Laverock Hall Road/A1061.
Laverock Hall Road306 m
Keep right to stay on Laverock Hall Road/A1061.
Laverock Hall Road183 m
Keep right to stay on Laverock Hall Road/A1061.
Laverock Hall Road346 m
Keep right to stay on Laverock Hall Road/A1061.
Laverock Hall Road75 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto B1523.
32 m
Exit the roundabout onto B1523.
B1523632 m
Turn left onto Laverock Hall Road.
Laverock Hall Road265 m
Turn right to stay on Benridge Park.
Benridge Park42 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Benridge Park.
Benridge Park42 m
Turn left to stay on Benridge Park.
Benridge Park32 m
Turn right onto Laverock Hall Road.
Laverock Hall Road233 m
Turn left onto Newcastle Road/B1523.
B1523794 m
Move right onto Wharton Street.
Wharton Street1.6 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Broadway Circle.
92 m
Exit the roundabout onto Broadway Circle.
Broadway Circle81 m
Turn left onto Cypress Crescent.
Cypress Crescent168 m
Turn left onto Cypress Drive.
Cypress Drive92 m
Turn left onto Renwick Road/A193.
Renwick Road61 m
Move left onto Broadway Circle/A193.
Broadway Circle17 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 6th exit onto Broadway Circle/A193.
216 m
Exit the roundabout onto Broadway Circle/A193. Continue on A193.
A193287 m
Turn right onto Waterloo Road/B1328.
Waterloo Road810 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto B1329.
4 m
Exit the roundabout onto B1329.
B1329304 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 4th exit onto B1329.
64 m
Exit the roundabout onto B1329.
B1329303 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto B1329.
12 m
Exit the roundabout onto B1329.
B1329220 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Ridley Avenue/B1329.
30 m
Exit the roundabout onto Ridley Avenue/B1329.
Ridley Avenue41 m
Keep right to stay on B1329.
B1329402 m
Turn right onto Park Road.
Park Road175 m
Turn right onto Rosamond Place.
Rosamond Place59 m
Turn left onto Stanley Street South.
Stanley Street South327 m
Turn right onto Carlton Street.
Carlton Street59 m
Turn left onto Percy Street.
Percy Street94 m
Turn left onto Bridge Street/B1328. Continue on Bridge Street.
Bridge Street143 m
Turn left onto Union Street/B1327.
Union Street454 m
Turn right onto Plessey Road/B1327.
Plessey Road212 m
Turn left onto Plessey Avenue.
Plessey Avenue143 m
Turn right onto Hunter Avenue.
Hunter Avenue213 m
Turn right onto Shotton Avenue.
Shotton Avenue73 m
Turn right onto Hedley Avenue.
Hedley Avenue268 m
Turn right onto Plessey Road/B1327. Continue on Plessey Road.
Plessey Road444 m
Move left onto Stanley Street.
Stanley Street179 m
Turn left onto Carlton Street.
Carlton Street89 m
Turn left.
47 m
Turn right onto Crown Street.
Crown Street54 m
Turn right onto Union Street/B1327.
Union Street177 m
Turn right onto Bridge Street.
Bridge Street143 m
Turn right onto Percy Street.
Percy Street94 m
Turn right onto Carlton Street.
Carlton Street89 m
Turn left.
94 m
Turn left onto Wellington Street.
Wellington Street30 m
Turn left onto Stanley Street.
Stanley Street94 m
Turn right onto Carlton Street.
Carlton Street59 m
Turn left onto Percy Street.
Percy Street43 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Blyth · Route 12 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.
Expect busier traffic, pick-ups and pedestrians around these.
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.
Changing speed limits
Limits change across this route (20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70 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.
Blyth Bus Station
Start near Blyth Bus Station.
Blyth Community Church
Continue to Blyth Community Church.
Ken's Chineese Take Away
Continue to Ken's Chineese Take Away.
Newsham Primary School
Continue to Newsham Primary School.
Newsham Victory Club
Continue to Newsham Victory Club.
Sea Horse
Continue to Sea Horse.
Astley Arms
Continue to Astley Arms.
Our Lady and St Joseph's Catholic Church
Continue to Our Lady and St Joseph's Catholic Church.
St. Michael and all Angels
Continue to St. Michael and all Angels.
Hasting
Continue to Hasting.
Split Chimp Tavern
Continue to Split Chimp Tavern.
Keel Row
Continue to Keel Row.
Seaton Delaval Spiritualist Church
Continue to Seaton Delaval Spiritualist Church.
Congregation Of Yahweh
Continue to Congregation Of Yahweh.
St Bede Church
Continue to St Bede Church.
Headway Arts
Continue to Headway Arts.
Our Lady And St Wilfrids Church
Continue to Our Lady And St Wilfrids Church.
Quay
Continue to Quay.
Phoenix Theatre
Continue to Phoenix Theatre.
Central Methodist Church Blyth
Finish back near Central Methodist Church Blyth, completing the loop.
11 roundabouts · 15 turns · 1 set of lights
8 roundabouts · 17 turns · 1 set of lights
10 roundabouts · 16 turns · 1 set of lights
9 roundabouts · 12 turns · 1 set of lights
This route is 40.5 km and takes about 35 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Blyth test centre, not an official DVSA route.