Near Bolton test centre
Rated challenging from its real manoeuvre load, 5 roundabouts, 18 turns and 7 signalled junctions across 34 navigation steps.
This is an independent 60.0 km practice route near Bolton 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, 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 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 110-step drive on real, named roads (about 59.9 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 Street275 m
Turn right onto Nelson Street.
Nelson Street148 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.
A5771.6 km
Turn right onto Whewell Street.
Whewell Street45 m
Turn left onto Darlington Street.
Darlington Street81 m
Turn left onto Common Lane/A577.
Common Lane44 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.
A666744 m
Take the exit.
207 m
Turn right onto Raikes Lane/B6536. Continue on Raikes Lane.
Raikes Lane179 m
Turn right onto Jackson Works.
Jackson Works144 m
Turn right.
280 m
Turn left onto Jackson Works.
Jackson Works108 m
Turn left onto Raikes Lane.
Raikes Lane60 m
Turn right onto Burnden Road/B6536.
Burnden Road228 m
Stay straight to take the A666 ramp.
A6662.4 km
Move right onto A666/Blackburn Road.
A666173 m
Keep left to stay on A666/Blackburn Road.
A666180 m
Turn left onto Prospect Street.
Prospect Street126 m
Turn right onto Halliwell Road/A6099.
Halliwell Road572 m
Turn left onto Hobart Street.
Hobart Street115 m
Turn right onto Burke Street.
Burke Street1 m
Turn left onto Hobart Street.
Hobart Street28 m
Turn right onto St Joseph Street.
St Joseph Street24 m
Turn right.
36 m
Turn right onto Burke Street.
Burke Street20 m
Turn left onto Hobart Street.
Hobart Street115 m
Turn right onto Halliwell Road/A6099.
Halliwell Road258 m
Turn right onto Brownlow Way.
Brownlow Way698 m
Move right onto Gaskell Street.
Gaskell Street400 m
Move right to stay on Gaskell Street.
Gaskell Street8 m
Make a sharp left onto Chorley Old Road/B6226.
Chorley Old Road6 m
Turn left onto Gaskell Street.
Gaskell Street365 m
Turn left onto Merehall Street.
Merehall Street361 m
Turn left onto Peterhead Close.
Peterhead Close203 m
Turn right onto Yarrow Place.
Yarrow Place189 m
Turn left onto Gaskell Street.
Gaskell Street40 m
Turn right onto Merehall Drive.
Merehall Drive38 m
Turn right onto Back Mere Gardens.
Back Mere Gardens94 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Back Mere Gardens.
Back Mere Gardens94 m
Turn left onto Merehall Drive.
Merehall Drive38 m
Turn left onto Gaskell Street.
Gaskell Street244 m
Turn left onto Hemsworth Road.
Hemsworth Road138 m
Turn right onto Thomas Holden Street.
Thomas Holden Street41 m
Turn left onto Snowden Street.
Snowden Street190 m
Turn left onto Vernon Street.
Vernon Street270 m
Turn left onto Merehall Drive.
Merehall Drive162 m
Turn left onto Gaskell Street.
Gaskell Street405 m
Turn left onto Chorley Old Road/B6226.
Chorley Old Road481 m
Make a right U-turn at Marsden Road/A673 onto St Georges Road/A673.
St Georges Road341 m
Move left onto Chorley New Road/A673.
Chorley New Road857 m
Turn left onto Dobson Road.
Dobson Road502 m
Turn left onto Gilnow Road/B6202.
Gilnow Road254 m
Turn right onto Park Road/B6202. Continue on B6202.
B6202509 m
Turn right onto Ellesmere Street.
Ellesmere Street291 m
Turn left onto Board Street.
Board Street81 m
Turn right onto Gibraltar Street.
Gibraltar Street118 m
Turn left onto Gilnow Lane.
Gilnow Lane107 m
Turn right onto Deane Road/A676. Continue on A676.
A6761.3 km
Turn left onto Hulton Lane/A6145.
Hulton Lane1.2 km
Turn right onto St Helens Road/A579. Continue on A579.
A5794.5 km
Move right onto A577/Mealhouse Lane.
A577510 m
Turn left onto A577/Bag Lane. Continue on A577.
A577158 m
Move left onto Leigh Road/B5215. Continue on B5215.
B52153.5 km
Turn left onto Lord Street/B5255. Continue on B5255.
B5255502 m
Turn left onto Princess Street.
Princess Street69 m
Turn right onto East Bond Street.
East Bond Street656 m
Turn left onto Holden Road.
Holden Road814 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Hope Street.
35 m
Exit the roundabout onto Hope Street.
Hope Street60 m
Turn left onto Irvine Street.
Irvine Street155 m
Turn right onto Leigh Road/B5215. Continue on B5215.
B52153.0 km
Turn left onto A577/Wigan Road.
A57786 m
Turn right onto A577/Mealhouse Lane.
A577590 m
Keep left to stay on A577/Mealhouse Lane.
A5776.9 km
Turn left onto Emblem Street.
Emblem Street253 m
Turn left onto Cannon Street.
Cannon Street291 m
Turn right onto Derby Street/A579.
Derby Street74 m
Turn left onto High Street.
High Street594 m
Turn left onto Lever Street.
Lever Street375 m
Turn right onto Grecian Crescent.
Grecian Crescent354 m
Move right onto Rishton Lane.
Rishton Lane174 m
Turn right onto Settle Street.
Settle Street186 m
Turn left onto Rupert Street.
Rupert Street46 m
Turn left onto Alder Street.
Alder Street121 m
Turn left onto Back Rishton Lane.
Back Rishton Lane49 m
Turn right onto Settle Street.
Settle Street37 m
Turn left onto Rishton Lane.
Rishton Lane174 m
Turn right onto Weston Street.
Weston Street661 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Bolton · Route 14 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.
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 10.7 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, 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.
Wharton & Cleggs Lane Church
Continue to Wharton & Cleggs Lane Church.
Moses Gate
Continue to Moses Gate.
Masjid-e-Noorul Islam
Continue to Masjid-e-Noorul Islam.
St. George Indian Orthodox Church
Continue to St. George Indian Orthodox Church.
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Continue to Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Madinah Masjid
Continue to Madinah Masjid.
Unity Church
Continue to Unity Church.
Al-huda Academy
Continue to Al-huda Academy.
St Vincent de Paul Catholic Church
Continue to St Vincent de Paul Catholic Church.
Atherton
Continue to Atherton.
Central Methodist Church
Continue to Central Methodist Church.
St Michael & All Angels
Continue to St Michael & All Angels.
St Mary the Virgin
Continue to St Mary the Virgin.
Atherton Salvation Army Church
Continue to Atherton Salvation Army Church.
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.
Shree Kutch Satsang Swaminarayan Temple
Continue to Shree Kutch Satsang Swaminarayan Temple.
Polish RC Church of the Good Shepherd
Finish back near Polish RC Church of the Good Shepherd, 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 60.0 km and takes about 45 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Bolton test centre, not an official DVSA route.