Near Bolton test centre
Rated challenging from its real manoeuvre load, 2 roundabouts, 30 turns and 5 signalled junctions across 38 navigation steps.
This is an independent 86.5 km practice route near Bolton test centre, taking roughly 50 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, 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, pubs and stations, 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 Bolton 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 129-step drive on real, named roads (about 86.5 km). An indicative practice loop, not an official DVSA route — the roads and junctions are real, the sequence is a rehearsal.
Drive east.
129 m
Turn right.
22 m
Turn left onto Weston Street.
Weston Street638 m
Turn right onto Manchester Road/B6536.
Manchester Road232 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Manchester Road/B6536.
Manchester Road227 m
Turn left onto Weston Street.
Weston Street464 m
Turn left onto Newport Road.
Newport Road269 m
Turn left onto Parkfield Road.
Parkfield Road166 m
Turn left onto Bradford Road.
Bradford Road504 m
Turn left onto Fairclough Street.
Fairclough Street75 m
Turn left onto McKean Street.
McKean Street167 m
Turn left onto Weston Street.
Weston Street103 m
Turn right onto Bradford Road.
Bradford Road2.2 km
Turn left onto Highfield Road.
Highfield Road73 m
Turn right onto Lucas Road.
Lucas Road387 m
Move left onto St James Street.
St James Street656 m
Turn right onto Buckley Lane/A5082. Continue on A5082.
A5082553 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Cleggs Lane/A5082.
19 m
Exit the roundabout onto Cleggs Lane/A5082. Continue on A5082.
A50823.2 km
Turn right onto Sale Lane/A577. Continue on A577.
A5772.2 km
Turn right onto Castle Street/A577. Continue on A577.
A5771.5 km
Turn right onto High Street.
High Street330 m
Turn right onto A579/Bolton Road. Continue on A579.
A5796.3 km
Turn right onto High Street.
High Street298 m
Turn left onto Bridgeman Street.
Bridgeman Street526 m
Move left onto Fletcher Street.
Fletcher Street456 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Thynne Street.
6 m
Exit the roundabout onto Thynne Street.
Thynne Street144 m
Turn right onto Trinity Street/A579. Continue on A579.
A579486 m
Stay straight to take the A666 ramp.
A6661.5 km
Make a sharp left onto Higher Bridge Street/B6206.
Higher Bridge Street355 m
Turn left onto Topp Way/A673. Continue on A673.
A673394 m
Turn right onto Phoenix Street.
Phoenix Street228 m
Turn left onto Folds Road/A673.
Folds Road194 m
Turn left onto Turton Street/A673.
Turton Street309 m
Turn left onto Cable Street.
Cable Street72 m
Turn right onto Cross Street.
Cross Street67 m
Turn right to stay on Cross Street.
Cross Street212 m
Turn left onto Turton Court.
Turton Court32 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Turton Court.
Turton Court32 m
Turn right onto Cross Street.
Cross Street41 m
Turn right onto Cable Street.
Cable Street72 m
Turn right onto Turton Street/A673.
Turton Street273 m
Keep left to take A676.
A676367 m
Move left onto Tonge Moor Road/A676.
Tonge Moor Road234 m
Turn left onto Stone Street.
Stone Street54 m
Turn left onto Horsa Street.
Horsa Street109 m
Turn left onto Union Road.
Union Road54 m
Turn right onto Tonge Moor Road/A676.
Tonge Moor Road143 m
Move right onto Tonge Moor Road/A676.
A676708 m
Turn left onto Bury New Road/A673.
Bury New Road143 m
Move right onto A666/St. Peter's Way.
A6664.7 km
Take the Kearsley Interchange exit towards Kearsley.
A666399 m
Enter Kearsley Interchange and take the 3rd exit onto Bolton Road/A6053.
Kearsley Interchange196 m
Exit the roundabout onto Bolton Road/A6053.
Bolton Road231 m
Move left onto Longcauseway/A5082. Continue on A5082.
A50821.8 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Cleggs Lane/A5082.
19 m
Exit the roundabout onto Cleggs Lane/A5082. Continue on A5082.
A50823.2 km
Turn right onto Sale Lane/A577. Continue on A577.
A5772.2 km
Turn right onto Castle Street/A577.
Castle Street144 m
Turn right onto Shuttle Street/A577.
Shuttle Street32 m
Turn left onto Union Street.
Union Street253 m
Turn right onto Lever Street.
Lever Street115 m
Turn right onto Prospect Street.
Prospect Street128 m
Turn left onto Ellesmere Street.
Ellesmere Street96 m
Turn right onto Oak Street.
Oak Street106 m
Turn left onto Shuttle Street/A577. Continue on A577.
A577434 m
Turn left onto Manchester Road/A577. Continue on A577.
A5771.7 km
Turn left onto Mort Lane/A5082. Continue on A5082.
A50823.2 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Cleggs Lane/A5082.
25 m
Exit the roundabout onto Cleggs Lane/A5082. Continue on A5082.
A50821.2 km
Turn left onto Albert Road/A575. Continue on A575.
A575904 m
Keep left to stay on A575.
A5751.1 km
Take the exit on the right.
A6663.2 km
Turn right onto Topp Way/A673. Continue on A673.
A673437 m
Keep left to take A676.
A676367 m
Move left onto Tonge Moor Road/A676.
Tonge Moor Road234 m
Turn left onto Stone Street.
Stone Street54 m
Turn left onto Horsa Street.
Horsa Street109 m
Turn right onto Union Road.
Union Road47 m
Turn right onto Pole Street.
Pole Street115 m
Turn right onto Stone Street.
Stone Street101 m
Turn right onto Tonge Moor Road/A676.
Tonge Moor Road247 m
Move right onto Tonge Moor Road/A676. Continue on A676.
A676336 m
Turn right onto Turton Street/A673.
Turton Street223 m
Turn left onto Phoenix Street.
Phoenix Street147 m
Turn right onto Crompton Street.
Crompton Street222 m
Make a right U-turn onto Charles Street.
Charles Street222 m
Turn right onto Phoenix Street.
Phoenix Street81 m
Turn left onto Folds Road/A673.
Folds Road18 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Folds Road/A673.
Folds Road204 m
Turn left onto Bury New Road/A673.
Bury New Road2.2 km
Turn right onto Long Lane.
Long Lane17 m
Make a sharp right.
27 m
Move left onto A58/Bury Road.
Bury Road1.2 km
Keep left to take A579.
A5791.0 km
Move right onto Manchester Road/A579. Continue on A579.
A579272 m
Turn left onto Thynne Street.
Thynne Street140 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Bridgeman Street.
26 m
Exit the roundabout onto Bridgeman Street.
Bridgeman Street982 m
Turn right onto High Street.
High Street298 m
Turn left onto Derby Street/A579. Continue on A579.
A5796.3 km
Turn left onto High Street.
High Street329 m
Turn left onto Tyldesley Road/A577. Continue on A577.
A5772.1 km
Turn left onto Manchester Road/A577. Continue on A577.
A5771.7 km
Turn left onto Mort Lane/A5082. Continue on A5082.
A50823.2 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Cleggs Lane/A5082.
25 m
Exit the roundabout onto Cleggs Lane/A5082. Continue on A5082.
A50821.9 km
Move right onto Higher Market Street/A6053. Continue on A6053.
A6053229 m
Enter Kearsley Interchange and take the 1st exit onto A666/St. Peter's Way.
Kearsley Interchange14 m
Exit the roundabout onto A666/St. Peter's Way.
A6664.1 km
Take the exit.
A666288 m
Keep left to take A579.
A579317 m
Move right onto Manchester Road/A579. Continue on A579.
A579272 m
Turn left onto Thynne Street.
Thynne Street140 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Thynne Street.
10 m
Exit the roundabout onto Thynne Street.
Thynne Street189 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Thynne Street.
28 m
Exit the roundabout onto Thynne Street.
Thynne Street182 m
Turn right onto Lever Street.
Lever Street432 m
Turn right onto Fletcher Street.
Fletcher Street90 m
Turn right onto St Mark's Street.
St Mark's Street324 m
Turn left onto Sidney Street.
Sidney Street75 m
Turn left onto Cochrane Street.
Cochrane Street86 m
Turn left onto Coe Street.
Coe Street75 m
Turn right onto St Mark's Street.
St Mark's Street238 m
Turn left onto Fletcher Street.
Fletcher Street444 m
Turn left onto Weston Street.
Weston Street661 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Bolton · 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.
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 20.0 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 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.
Rose Hill United Reformed Church
Start near Rose Hill United Reformed Church.
St James's Church of England High School
Continue to St James's Church of England High School.
Duke's Gate
Continue to Duke's Gate.
Gatehouse
Continue to Gatehouse.
Tyldesley Chapel
Continue to Tyldesley Chapel.
Atherton
Continue to Atherton.
St Andrew's Church Over Hulton
Continue to St Andrew's Church Over Hulton.
St Helens Road Methodist Church
Continue to St Helens Road Methodist Church.
AA
Continue to AA.
Lord Clyde
Continue to Lord Clyde.
New Jerusalem Church
Continue to New Jerusalem Church.
Lounge
Continue to Lounge.
Cambian Tyldesley School
Continue to Cambian Tyldesley School.
Wharton & Cleggs Lane Church
Continue to Wharton & Cleggs Lane Church.
Moses Gate
Continue to Moses Gate.
Trinity Methodist Church
Continue to Trinity Methodist Church.
Bolton
Continue to Bolton.
Bent & Bongs Beer Festival
Continue to Bent & Bongs Beer Festival.
Markaz e Ahlebait
Continue to Markaz e Ahlebait.
Makkah Masjid
Finish back near Makkah Masjid, completing the loop.
1 roundabout · 19 turns · 8 sets of lights
3 roundabouts · 22 turns · 5 sets of lights
3 roundabouts · 18 turns · 6 sets of lights
2 roundabouts · 20 turns · 5 sets of lights
This route is 86.5 km and takes about 50 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Bolton test centre, not an official DVSA route.