Near Bolton test centre
Rated moderate from its real manoeuvre load, 2 roundabouts, 20 turns and 5 signalled junctions across 31 navigation steps.
This is an independent 93.3 km practice route near Bolton test centre, taking roughly 40 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, stations 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 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 142-step drive on real, named roads (about 93.3 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.
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.
A579588 m
Turn right to take the A666 ramp.
A6661.7 km
Take the Manchester Road exit.
Manchester Road644 m
Make a sharp right to stay on Manchester Road/A575.
Manchester Road273 m
Take the A666 exit on the right.
A6663.6 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 left onto Halliwell Road/A6099.
Halliwell Road951 m
Turn right onto A58/Moss Bank Way.
A581.0 km
Make a right U-turn to stay on A58/Moss Bank Way.
A58157 m
Turn left onto Moss Bank Close.
Moss Bank Close80 m
Turn left to stay on Moss Bank Close.
Moss Bank Close229 m
Turn left onto A58/Moss Bank Way.
A581.8 km
Turn left onto Captain's Clough Road.
Captain's Clough Road150 m
Turn left onto Church Road.
Church Road1.3 km
Turn right onto Eskrick Street.
Eskrick Street93 m
Turn left onto Tennyson Street.
Tennyson Street430 m
Turn left onto Brownlow Way.
Brownlow Way202 m
Turn right onto Halliwell Road/A6099.
Halliwell Road3.8 km
Take the Manchester Road exit.
Manchester Road1.3 km
Turn right onto Gladstone Road/A575. Continue on A575.
A575598 m
Turn right onto Harrowby Street.
Harrowby Street643 m
Turn left onto George Street.
George Street392 m
Turn left onto Moorside Avenue.
Moorside Avenue327 m
Turn left onto Parkfield Avenue.
Parkfield Avenue263 m
Turn right onto Moorside Avenue.
Moorside Avenue160 m
Turn right onto George Street.
George Street392 m
Turn right onto Harrowby Street.
Harrowby Street636 m
Turn left onto Albert Road/A575. Continue on A575.
A575199 m
Keep left to stay on A575.
A5751.1 km
Take the exit on the right.
A6663.1 km
Turn left onto Topp Way/A673.
Topp Way719 m
Turn right onto St Georges Road/A673.
St Georges Road2.0 km
Turn left onto Devonshire Road.
Devonshire Road65 m
Turn left onto Stanley Road.
Stanley Road185 m
Turn left onto Avon Street.
Avon Street61 m
Turn right onto Chorley Old Road/B6226.
Chorley Old Road1.7 km
Turn left onto Topp Way/A673.
Topp Way713 m
Turn right onto A666/St. Peter's Way.
A6665.2 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.
Longcauseway611 m
Move left onto Worsley Road/A575.
Worsley Road726 m
Turn right onto Devonshire Road.
Devonshire Road281 m
Turn left onto Lentworth Drive.
Lentworth Drive32 m
Turn left to stay on Lentworth Drive.
Lentworth Drive246 m
Turn right to stay on Lentworth Drive.
Lentworth Drive68 m
Turn left onto Hirst Avenue.
Hirst Avenue59 m
Turn left onto Worsley Road/A575. Continue on A575.
A5751.7 km
Keep left to stay on A575.
A5751.1 km
Take the exit on the right.
A6663.1 km
Turn left onto Topp Way/A673.
Topp Way719 m
Turn right onto St Georges Road/A673.
St Georges Road331 m
Move left onto Chorley New Road/A673.
Chorley New Road1.3 km
Turn right onto Devonshire Road.
Devonshire Road639 m
Turn left onto Welbeck Road.
Welbeck Road238 m
Turn left onto New Hall Lane.
New Hall Lane625 m
Turn left onto Chorley New Road/A673.
Chorley New Road850 m
Turn right onto Park Road.
Park Road485 m
Move left onto Park Road/B6202. Continue on B6202.
B6202693 m
Turn left onto Deane Road/A676.
Deane Road296 m
Turn right onto Moor Lane/A676.
Moor Lane109 m
Turn left onto Trinity Street/A579. Continue on A579.
A579733 m
Turn left onto Carlton Street.
Carlton Street211 m
Turn left onto Breightmet Street.
Breightmet Street82 m
Turn left onto Bradshawgate/A575.
Bradshawgate205 m
Turn left onto Bridgeman Place/A579. Continue on A579.
A579342 m
Turn right to take the A666 ramp.
A6661.7 km
Take the A575 exit.
A575875 m
Turn left onto Hall Lane.
Hall Lane168 m
Turn left onto Hall Street.
Hall Street233 m
Turn right onto Bolton Road/A575. Continue on A575.
A575396 m
Take the A666 exit on the right.
A6663.1 km
Turn left onto Topp Way/A673.
Topp Way719 m
Turn right onto St Georges Road/A673.
St Georges Road331 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 left onto Deane Road/A676.
Deane Road280 m
Turn right onto Cannon Street.
Cannon Street223 m
Turn right to stay on Cannon Street.
Cannon Street291 m
Turn right onto Derby Street/A579.
Derby Street74 m
Turn left onto High Street.
High Street298 m
Turn right onto Bridgeman Street.
Bridgeman Street60 m
Turn right onto Pike Road.
Pike Road108 m
Turn left onto Bowness Road.
Bowness Road107 m
Turn left onto Swan Lane.
Swan Lane101 m
Turn left onto Bridgeman Street.
Bridgeman Street718 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.
A666848 m
Make a sharp left onto Kay Street/B6206.
B62061.0 km
Turn right onto Trinity Street/A579.
Trinity Street236 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 Street456 m
Turn left onto Fletcher Street.
Fletcher Street613 m
Turn left onto Weston Street.
Weston Street661 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Bolton · Route 2 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 30.6 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.
Wharton & Cleggs Lane Church
Continue to Wharton & Cleggs Lane Church.
Tyldesley Chapel
Continue to Tyldesley Chapel.
Atherton
Continue to Atherton.
Shree Kutch Satsang Swaminarayan Temple
Continue to Shree Kutch Satsang Swaminarayan Temple.
Christ Embassy Church
Continue to Christ Embassy Church.
Light and Life Missions
Continue to Light and Life Missions.
Makki Masjid
Continue to Makki Masjid.
Olive School, Bolton
Continue to Olive School, Bolton.
Moses Gate
Continue to Moses Gate.
Sughra Mosque
Continue to Sughra Mosque.
Bethel Church
Continue to Bethel Church.
St. Luke's Church
Continue to St. Luke's Church.
New Jerusalem Church
Continue to New Jerusalem Church.
Farnworth United Reformed Church
Continue to Farnworth United Reformed Church.
Unity Church
Continue to Unity Church.
AA
Continue to AA.
Zakariyya Jaam'e Masjid
Continue to Zakariyya Jaam'e Masjid.
Bolton
Continue to Bolton.
Markaz e Ahlebait
Finish back near Markaz e Ahlebait, 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 · 16 turns · 10 sets of lights
This route is 93.3 km and takes about 40 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Bolton test centre, not an official DVSA route.