Near Bodmin test centre
Rated moderate from its real manoeuvre load, 8 roundabouts and 13 turns across 23 navigation steps.
This is an independent 66.3 km practice route near Bodmin 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 Carminow Cross Junction and Innis Downs Junction. 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, national-speed roads, 20 mph zones, changing speed limits, residential manoeuvres, busy a-roads 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, schools, 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 Bodmin 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 98-step drive on real, named roads (about 66.2 km). An indicative practice loop, not an official DVSA route — the roads and junctions are real, the sequence is a rehearsal.
Drive southeast.
47 m
Turn right onto Beatrice Road.
Beatrice Road46 m
Turn right onto Normandy Way.
Normandy Way407 m
Turn left to stay on Normandy Way.
Normandy Way189 m
Turn right onto Lostwithiel Road/B3268.
Lostwithiel Road204 m
Turn left onto Beacon Road.
Beacon Road1.8 km
Turn left onto St Leonards/A389.
St Leonards27 m
Turn left onto St Mary's Road.
St Mary's Road264 m
Turn left onto St Marys Close.
St Marys Close115 m
Turn right onto St. Mary's Crescent.
St. Mary's Crescent189 m
Turn left onto Rock Lane.
Rock Lane304 m
Turn left onto Barn Lane.
Barn Lane377 m
Turn left onto St Leonards/A389.
St Leonards27 m
Turn left onto St Mary's Road.
St Mary's Road342 m
Turn left onto Rock Lane.
Rock Lane144 m
Turn right onto St George's Crescent.
St George's Crescent161 m
Turn left onto Burden Close.
Burden Close119 m
Turn left.
19 m
Make a right U-turn.
19 m
Turn right onto Burden Close.
Burden Close282 m
Turn right onto St Mary's Road.
St Mary's Road184 m
Turn right onto St Marys Close.
St Marys Close115 m
Turn left onto St. Mary's Crescent.
St. Mary's Crescent31 m
Turn left onto St Mary's Road.
St Mary's Road421 m
Turn left onto Whitestone Road.
Whitestone Road275 m
Turn right onto Dawe Crescent.
Dawe Crescent155 m
Turn right onto Foster Drive.
Foster Drive177 m
Turn left onto Pethybridge Drive.
Pethybridge Drive54 m
Turn right onto Bawden Road.
Bawden Road76 m
Turn right onto St Mary's Road.
St Mary's Road578 m
Turn right onto St Marys Close.
St Marys Close115 m
Turn left onto St. Mary's Crescent.
St. Mary's Crescent31 m
Turn left onto St Mary's Road.
St Mary's Road639 m
Turn right onto Queen's Crescent.
Queen's Crescent224 m
Turn left.
88 m
Turn right onto Westheath Road.
Westheath Road233 m
Turn left towards Redruth/St Austell.
A3894.1 km
Turn left towards Luxulyan/Lanhydrock.
1.3 km
Turn left onto B3278.
B32786.3 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto A391.
14 m
Exit the roundabout onto A391.
A3911.4 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit towards St Austell.
52 m
Exit the roundabout towards St Austell.
A3911.1 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A391.
26 m
Exit the roundabout onto A391.
A391670 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A391.
26 m
Exit the roundabout onto A391.
A391727 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A391.
26 m
Exit the roundabout onto A391.
A391974 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A391.
30 m
Exit the roundabout onto A391.
A391555 m
Turn left onto A390.
A390624 m
Move left.
40 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto A390/St Austell Road.
23 m
Exit the roundabout onto A390/St Austell Road.
A3901.1 km
Turn left onto Luxulyan Road.
Luxulyan Road73 m
Turn right.
79 m
Turn left onto A390/St Austell Road. Continue on A390.
A3906.7 km
Turn left onto B3269.
B32692.9 km
Move left onto B3268.
B32682.2 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto B3268.
26 m
Exit the roundabout onto B3268.
B32681.5 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Lostwithiel Road/B3268.
24 m
Exit the roundabout onto Lostwithiel Road/B3268.
Lostwithiel Road999 m
Turn right onto Bugle Way.
Bugle Way163 m
Turn right onto Castle Canyke Road.
Castle Canyke Road1.3 km
Turn left onto Carminow Road.
Carminow Road125 m
Enter Carminow Cross Junction and take the 2nd exit onto A38.
Carminow Cross Junction81 m
Exit the roundabout onto A38.
A38504 m
Enter Turfdown Roundabout and take the 4th exit towards Redruth/Newquay/Bodmin/Launceston.
Turfdown Roundabout95 m
Exit the roundabout towards Redruth/Newquay/Bodmin/Launceston.
A3876 m
Take the Carminow Cross exit onto A30 towards Redruth/Newquay.
A306.6 km
Take the Innis Downs exit onto A389/A391 towards Wadebridge/St Austell.
A30629 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 4th exit onto Innis Downs Junction/A389.
109 m
Exit the roundabout onto Innis Downs Junction/A389.
Innis Downs Junction135 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A30.
148 m
Exit the roundabout onto A30/Bodmin Bypass.
A306.6 km
Take the Carminow Cross exit onto A38 towards Bodmin/Liskeard/Plymouth.
A30441 m
Enter Carminow Cross Junction and take the 1st exit onto Carminow Road.
Carminow Cross Junction8 m
Exit the roundabout onto Carminow Road.
Carminow Road810 m
Turn right onto Respryn Road.
Respryn Road554 m
Move right onto Lostwithiel Road/B3268. Continue on B3268.
B32681.4 km
Turn right onto Priory Road/A389.
Priory Road513 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit towards Launceston/Law courts.
27 m
Exit the roundabout towards Launceston/Law courts.
Launceston Road393 m
Turn right onto Cadwin Road.
Cadwin Road70 m
Turn left to stay on Cadwin Road.
Cadwin Road106 m
Turn right to stay on Cadwin Road.
Cadwin Road34 m
Turn left onto Launceston Road/A389.
Launceston Road393 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Priory Road/A389.
34 m
Exit the roundabout onto Priory Road/A389.
Priory Road513 m
Turn left onto Turf Street/B3268. Continue on B3268.
B3268939 m
Turn right onto Beacon Road.
Beacon Road139 m
Turn right onto Harleigh Road.
Harleigh Road298 m
Turn left onto St Nicholas Street/B3268. Continue on B3268.
B3268587 m
Move left onto Turf Street/A389. Continue on A389.
A389146 m
Turn right onto Pool Street.
Pool Street94 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Bodmin · 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.
Decide your lane and exit on the approach to each of these, get set up early.
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.
Dual-carriageway join
About 28.0 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, 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.
New Life Church
Start near New Life Church.
North Cornwall Alternative Provision Academy
Continue to North Cornwall Alternative Provision Academy.
Spar
Continue to Spar.
Jims
Continue to Jims.
Lanivet Inn
Continue to Lanivet Inn.
Lanivet Methodist Church
Continue to Lanivet Methodist Church.
Bugle
Continue to Bugle.
Crossroads Community Hall
Continue to Crossroads Community Hall.
Carclaze
Continue to Carclaze.
Leek Seed Chapel
Continue to Leek Seed Chapel.
St Blaise, Blazey
Continue to St Blaise, Blazey.
Washing Well
Continue to Washing Well.
Lanhydrock Memorial Hall
Continue to Lanhydrock Memorial Hall.
Eclipse Nightclub
Continue to Eclipse Nightclub.
Carminow Cross Junction
Continue to Carminow Cross Junction, taking the junction with good observation.
Innis Downs Junction
Continue to Innis Downs Junction, taking the junction with good observation.
Trail Munki
Continue to Trail Munki.
St. Petroc's Church
Continue to St. Petroc's Church.
Weavers Inn
Continue to Weavers Inn.
Bodmin General
Finish back near Bodmin General, completing the loop.
6 roundabouts · 16 turns
6 roundabouts · 19 turns · 1 set of lights
4 roundabouts · 18 turns
7 roundabouts · 18 turns
This route is 66.3 km and takes about 35 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Bodmin test centre, not an official DVSA route.