Near Blyth test centre
Rated challenging from its real manoeuvre load, 12 roundabouts, 14 turns and 1 signalled junction across 30 navigation steps.
This is an independent 39.3 km practice loop near Blyth test centre, taking roughly 45 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, national-speed roads, 20 mph zones, changing speed limits, residential manoeuvres, busy a-roads and independent driving. 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 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 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 122-step drive on real, named roads (about 41.8 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.
Bridge Street239 m
Keep left to take Waterloo Road/B1328.
Waterloo Road504 m
Turn left onto Renwick Road/A193.
Renwick Road266 m
Move left onto Broadway Circle/A193.
Broadway Circle17 m
Enter the roundabout and take the exit onto Broadway Circle/A193.
463 m
Exit the roundabout onto Broadway Circle/A193. Continue on A193.
A193681 m
Turn left onto Albion Way.
Albion Way440 m
Turn left onto Ford Drive.
Ford Drive396 m
Turn left onto Ogle Drive.
Ogle Drive127 m
Turn right onto Thropton Court.
Thropton Court67 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Thropton Court.
Thropton Court67 m
Turn left onto Ogle Drive.
Ogle Drive318 m
Turn left onto Fallowpark Avenue.
Fallowpark Avenue410 m
Turn left onto Southend Avenue.
Southend Avenue267 m
Turn right onto Newsham Road.
Newsham Road732 m
Keep left to take Wharton Street.
Wharton Street21 m
Turn left onto Winship Street.
Winship Street218 m
Move right onto Plessey Road/B1523. Continue on B1523.
B1523112 m
Turn right onto Plessey Road.
Plessey Road129 m
Turn right onto Middle Street.
Middle Street70 m
Turn right onto Delaval Gardens.
Delaval Gardens108 m
Turn right onto Delaval Street.
Delaval Street85 m
Turn left onto Newcastle Road/B1523.
B1523305 m
Move right onto Wharton Street.
Wharton Street754 m
Turn left onto Southend Avenue.
Southend Avenue203 m
Keep right to stay on Southend Avenue.
Southend Avenue63 m
Turn right onto Fallowpark Avenue.
Fallowpark Avenue233 m
Turn right onto Isabella Road.
Isabella Road477 m
Turn left onto Southend Avenue.
Southend Avenue136 m
Turn left onto Newsham Road.
Newsham Road368 m
Turn left onto Kendal Avenue.
Kendal Avenue61 m
Turn left onto Trevelyan Avenue.
Trevelyan Avenue232 m
Turn left onto Mitford Avenue.
Mitford Avenue61 m
Turn right onto Newsham Road.
Newsham Road867 m
Keep left to take Wharton Street.
Wharton Street21 m
Turn left onto Winship Street.
Winship Street218 m
Move right onto Plessey Road/B1523. Continue on B1523.
B1523532 m
Turn right onto Delaval Crescent.
Delaval Crescent530 m
Turn left onto Newcastle Road/B1523. Continue on B1523.
B1523127 m
Turn right onto Plessey Road/B1523.
Plessey Road1.4 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Broadway/A193.
14 m
Exit the roundabout onto Broadway/A193. Continue on A193.
A193488 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Broadway Circle.
163 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. Continue on A193.
A19378 m
Enter Broadway Circle and take the 6th exit onto Broadway Circle/A193.
Broadway Circle216 m
Exit the roundabout onto Broadway Circle/A193. Continue on A193.
A1933.2 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A193.
30 m
Exit the roundabout onto A193.
A193131 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A193.
105 m
Exit the roundabout onto A193.
A1931.4 km
Turn left onto Horton Road/B1505.
Horton Road2.0 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit.
35 m
Exit the roundabout onto A189.
A1892.3 km
Take the exit.
277 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A193.
164 m
Exit the roundabout onto A193.
A193131 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Cowpen Road/A193.
24 m
Exit the roundabout onto Cowpen Road/A193.
Cowpen Road28 m
Keep right to stay on Cowpen Road/A193.
Cowpen Road2.5 km
Turn left onto Cowpen Road/A193. Continue on A193.
A193660 m
Move left onto Broadway Circle/A193.
Broadway Circle17 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 9th exit onto Broadway Circle/A193.
354 m
Exit the roundabout onto Broadway Circle/A193. Continue on A193.
A193488 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Plessey Road/B1523.
40 m
Exit the roundabout onto Plessey Road/B1523.
Plessey Road1.4 km
Turn left onto Links View.
Links View32 m
Turn right to stay on Links View.
Links View226 m
Turn left onto Willow Crescent.
Willow Crescent162 m
Turn left onto Links View.
Links View186 m
Turn left onto Willow Crescent.
Willow Crescent162 m
Turn right onto Links View.
Links View41 m
Turn left to stay on Links View.
Links View32 m
Turn right onto Plessey Road/B1523.
Plessey Road1.4 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Broadway/A193.
14 m
Exit the roundabout onto Broadway/A193. Continue on A193.
A193488 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Broadway Circle.
163 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. Continue on A193.
A19378 m
Enter Broadway Circle and take the 6th exit onto Broadway Circle/A193.
Broadway Circle216 m
Exit the roundabout onto Broadway Circle/A193. Continue on A193.
A1932.2 km
Turn right to stay on Cowpen Road.
Cowpen Road76 m
Make a left U-turn at Cowpen Road onto Cowpen Road/A193.
Cowpen Road1.3 km
Turn left onto Hodgsons Road/B1329. Continue on B1329.
B1329921 m
Turn left onto Maddison Street/B1329.
Maddison Street148 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto B1329.
30 m
Exit the roundabout onto B1329.
B1329303 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Bridge Street/B1328.
27 m
Exit the roundabout onto Bridge Street/B1328. Continue on Bridge Street.
Bridge Street208 m
Turn left onto Union Street/B1327.
Union Street226 m
Turn left onto Wellington Street.
Wellington Street89 m
Turn right onto Beaconsfield Street.
Beaconsfield Street152 m
Make a sharp left onto Plessey Road.
Plessey Road621 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 right onto Plessey Road/B1327. Continue on Plessey Road.
Plessey Road349 m
Move left onto Beaconsfield Street.
Beaconsfield Street247 m
Turn right onto Carlton Street.
Carlton Street119 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 Street226 m
Turn left onto Wellington Street.
Wellington Street150 m
Turn right onto Stanley Street.
Stanley Street85 m
Move right onto Plessey Road.
Plessey Road95 m
Make a sharp right onto Beaconsfield Street.
Beaconsfield Street246 m
Turn left onto Carlton Street.
Carlton Street29 m
Turn left.
94 m
Turn left onto Wellington Street.
Wellington Street28 m
Turn left onto Beaconsfield Street.
Beaconsfield Street94 m
Turn right onto Carlton Street.
Carlton Street119 m
Turn left onto Percy Street.
Percy Street43 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Blyth · Route 3 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.
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 1.7 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.
Changing speed limits
Limits change across this route (20, 30, 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.
Headway Arts
Continue to Headway Arts.
Farmfoods
Continue to Farmfoods.
Isabella
Continue to Isabella.
Newsham Primary School
Continue to Newsham Primary School.
Newsham Victory Club
Continue to Newsham Victory Club.
Congregation Of Yahweh
Continue to Congregation Of Yahweh.
St Bede Church
Continue to St Bede Church.
Sea Horse
Continue to Sea Horse.
Broadway Circle Laundrette Dry Cleaners
Continue to Broadway Circle Laundrette Dry Cleaners.
South Quay Park
Continue to South Quay Park.
St Cuthberts Church
Continue to St Cuthberts Church.
Bebside Inn
Continue to Bebside Inn.
Saint Mary The Virgin
Continue to Saint Mary The Virgin.
SureStart Centre Blyth Central Children's Centre
Continue to SureStart Centre Blyth Central Children's Centre.
Halfords Autocentre
Continue to Halfords Autocentre.
Quay
Continue to Quay.
Royal Engineers Association Blyth Branch
Continue to Royal Engineers Association Blyth Branch.
Mark English Optician
Continue to Mark English Optician.
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 39.3 km and takes about 45 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Blyth test centre, not an official DVSA route.