Near Bolton test centre
Rated moderate from its real manoeuvre load, 2 roundabouts, 18 turns and 7 signalled junctions across 26 navigation steps.
This is an independent 56.0 km practice route near Bolton 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.
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 schools, churches, stations 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 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 138-step drive on real, named roads (about 56.0 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 Road217 m
Move left onto Raikes Lane/B6536.
Raikes Lane44 m
Make a sharp right to stay on Raikes Lane/B6536.
Raikes Lane40 m
Turn right onto Manchester Road/B6536.
Manchester Road243 m
Turn left onto Weston Street.
Weston Street325 m
Keep left to stay on Weston Street.
Weston Street485 m
Turn left 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 left onto Settle Street.
Settle Street338 m
Turn left onto Langdale Street.
Langdale Street31 m
Turn right onto Back Settle Street.
Back Settle Street101 m
Turn right onto Monton Street.
Monton Street29 m
Turn right onto Settle Street.
Settle Street293 m
Turn right onto Rupert Street.
Rupert Street89 m
Turn left onto Beechwood Street.
Beechwood Street133 m
Turn left onto Rishton Lane.
Rishton Lane168 m
Turn left onto Division Street.
Division Street217 m
Turn right onto Rudford Gardens.
Rudford Gardens117 m
Turn right onto Teal Street.
Teal Street128 m
Turn left onto Finney Street.
Finney Street75 m
Turn right onto Rishton Lane.
Rishton Lane83 m
Turn right onto Grecian Crescent.
Grecian Crescent34 m
Move right onto Rishton Lane.
Rishton Lane174 m
Turn right onto Settle Street.
Settle Street185 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
Move left onto Grecian Crescent.
Grecian Crescent354 m
Turn right onto Lever Street.
Lever Street241 m
Turn left onto Coe Street.
Coe Street167 m
Turn right onto Cochrane Street.
Cochrane Street86 m
Turn right onto Sidney Street.
Sidney Street75 m
Turn right onto St Mark's Street.
St Mark's Street79 m
Keep left to stay on St Mark's Street.
St Mark's Street245 m
Turn right onto Fletcher Street.
Fletcher Street169 m
Turn left onto Bridgeman Street.
Bridgeman Street282 m
Turn right onto Worsley Street.
Worsley Street41 m
Turn right onto Clarendon Street.
Clarendon Street110 m
Turn right onto Rothwell Street.
Rothwell Street42 m
Turn left onto Bridgeman Street.
Bridgeman Street171 m
Turn right onto Fletcher Street.
Fletcher Street259 m
Turn right onto Lever Street.
Lever Street374 m
Turn right onto High Street.
High Street313 m
Keep straight to stay on High Street.
High Street281 m
Turn left onto Derby Street/A579. Continue on A579.
A5791.6 km
Keep left to stay on St Helens Road/A579.
St Helens Road778 m
Keep right to stay on St Helens Road/A579.
St Helens Road487 m
Keep straight to stay on St Helens Road/A579.
St Helens Road673 m
Keep right to take A579/Newbrook Road.
A579123 m
Keep right to stay on A579/Newbrook Road.
A579517 m
Keep left to stay on A579/Newbrook Road.
A579238 m
Keep right to stay on A579/Newbrook Road.
A579132 m
Keep right to stay on A579.
A5791.9 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.
Leigh Road3.5 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.
Leigh Road3.0 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.
A577604 m
Keep left to stay on A579.
A5791.7 km
Keep straight to take A579/Newbrook Road.
A579484 m
Keep left to stay on A579.
A579804 m
Keep right to take St Helens Road/A579.
St Helens Road106 m
Keep right to stay on St Helens Road/A579.
St Helens Road812 m
Turn left onto Hulton Lane/A6145.
Hulton Lane1.2 km
Turn right onto Wigan Road/A676. Continue on A676.
A6761.5 km
Turn left onto Board Street.
Board Street103 m
Turn left onto Gibraltar Street.
Gibraltar Street111 m
Turn left onto Gilnow Lane.
Gilnow Lane107 m
Turn right onto Deane Road/A676. Continue on A676.
A6761.3 km
Keep left to take Wigan Road/A676.
Wigan Road19 m
Turn left onto Hulton Lane/A6145.
Hulton Lane476 m
Turn left onto Hulton Drive.
Hulton Drive8 m
Keep right to stay on Hulton Drive.
Hulton Drive58 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Hulton Drive.
Hulton Drive67 m
Turn right onto Hulton Lane/A6145.
Hulton Lane476 m
Turn right onto Wigan Road/A676. Continue on A676.
A6762.2 km
Keep right to take Moor Lane/A676.
Moor Lane372 m
Turn left onto Spa Road/B6203.
Spa Road65 m
Move right onto White Lion Brow.
White Lion Brow119 m
Turn right onto St Helena Road.
St Helena Road232 m
Turn left onto Noel Street.
Noel Street78 m
Turn left onto St Georges Road/B6205.
St Georges Road27 m
Keep left to stay on St Georges Road.
St Georges Road93 m
Turn left onto Marsden Road/A676.
Marsden Road12 m
Keep right to stay on Marsden Road.
Marsden Road2.9 km
Turn left onto Hulton Lane/A6145.
Hulton Lane1.2 km
Turn right onto St Helens Road/A579.
St Helens Road405 m
Keep right to stay on St Helens Road/A579.
St Helens Road487 m
Keep straight to stay on St Helens Road/A579.
St Helens Road277 m
Turn left onto Salford Road/A6.
Salford Road223 m
Keep left to stay on Salford Road/A6.
Salford Road999 m
Keep right to stay on Salford Road/A6.
Salford Road85 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Watergate Lane/A6.
12 m
Exit the roundabout onto Watergate Lane/A6.
Watergate Lane135 m
Enter Watergate Lane Interchange and take the 3rd exit onto M61.
Watergate Lane Interchange259 m
Exit the roundabout onto M61.
M613.5 km
Take exit 3 onto A666 towards Kearsley/Farnworth.
M6176 m
Take exit 3 onto A666 towards Kearsley/Farnworth.
M61121 m
Take exit 3 onto A666 towards Kearsley/Farnworth.
M61103 m
Take exit 3 on the right onto A666 towards Kearsley/Farnworth.
M61770 m
Enter Kearsley Interchange and take the 1st exit onto Bolton Road/A6053.
Kearsley Interchange20 m
Exit the roundabout onto Bolton Road/A6053.
Bolton Road113 m
Turn right onto Bent Street.
Bent Street142 m
Turn right onto Water Lane.
Water Lane27 m
Turn left onto Lord Street.
Lord Street75 m
Keep right to stay on Lord Street.
Lord Street52 m
Turn left onto Mather Street.
Mather Street234 m
Turn right onto Higher Market Street/A6053. Continue on A6053.
A6053429 m
Turn left onto King Street.
King Street429 m
Turn left to stay on King Street.
King Street32 m
Turn right onto Albert Road/A575.
Albert Road364 m
Turn left onto Glynne Street/B6199. Continue on B6199.
B6199431 m
Keep left to take Plodder Lane/B6199.
Plodder Lane1.3 km
Turn right onto Redgate Way.
Redgate Way460 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Redgate Way.
18 m
Exit the roundabout onto Redgate Way.
Redgate Way673 m
Turn left onto Bradford Road.
Bradford Road50 m
Keep left to stay on Bradford Road.
Bradford Road427 m
Keep right to stay on Bradford Road.
Bradford Road794 m
Turn right onto Weston Street.
Weston Street125 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Bolton · Route 5 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 11.1 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, 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.
St William of York Catholic Primary School
Start near St William of York Catholic Primary School.
Bishop Bridgeman CofE Primary School
Continue to Bishop Bridgeman CofE Primary School.
Makkah Masjid
Continue to Makkah Masjid.
Polish RC Church of the Good Shepherd
Continue to Polish RC Church of the Good Shepherd.
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.
Leigh Spiritualist Temple
Continue to Leigh Spiritualist Temple.
Brewery Inn
Continue to Brewery Inn.
Atherton Salvation Army Church
Continue to Atherton Salvation Army Church.
Vulcan
Continue to Vulcan.
Al-huda Academy
Continue to Al-huda Academy.
Queen Anne
Continue to Queen Anne.
Shree Swaminarayan Mandir
Continue to Shree Swaminarayan Mandir.
St. Edmunds Catholic Church
Continue to St. Edmunds Catholic Church.
St Andrew's Church Over Hulton
Continue to St Andrew's Church Over Hulton.
New Jerusalem Church
Continue to New Jerusalem Church.
Farnworth Bus Station
Continue to Farnworth Bus Station.
St George with St James
Continue to St George with St James.
Rose Hill United Reformed Church
Finish back near Rose Hill United Reformed Church, 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 56.0 km and takes about 35 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Bolton test centre, not an official DVSA route.