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Practice route
Challenging

Bolton · Route 6

Near Bolton test centre

134.9 km
Distance
35 min
Duration
Challenging
Difficulty
19
Manoeuvres
Difficulty: Moderate

Rated moderate from its real manoeuvre load, 1 roundabout, 19 turns and 8 signalled junctions across 26 navigation steps.

How this route is examined

This is an independent 134.9 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.

Along the way you'll meet Kearsley Interchange and Thynne Street. 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, stations, 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 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.

Manoeuvre breakdown

What you’ll actually do on this loop, counted from its turn-by-turn directions.

6
Left turns
13
Right turns
1
Roundabouts
8
Traffic lights
26
Total steps

Skills & features

16
Roundabouts
34.9 km
Dual carriageway
20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70 mph
Speed limits
20
Landmarks

This route helps you practise:

  • Multiple roundabouts
  • Dual-carriageway joins
  • National-speed roads
  • 20 mph zones
  • Changing speed limits
  • Residential manoeuvres
  • Busy A-roads
  • Sustained concentration

Road mix

  • A-roads 54.1 km
  • Trunk roads 28.1 km
  • Minor roads 7.7 km
  • B-roads 7.4 km
  • motorway 6.8 km
  • Residential 2.4 km
  • Unclassified 1.7 km
  • service_other 1.6 km

Turn-by-turn directions

The full 173-step drive on real, named roads (about 134.9 km). An indicative practice loop, not an official DVSA route — the roads and junctions are real, the sequence is a rehearsal.

  1. Depart:

    Drive east.

    129 m

  2. Turn right:

    Turn right.

    22 m

  3. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Weston Street.

    Weston Street638 m

  4. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Manchester Road/B6536.

    Manchester Road232 m

  5. U-turn:

    Make a right U-turn to stay on Manchester Road/B6536.

    Manchester Road227 m

  6. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Weston Street.

    Weston Street811 m

  7. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Grecian Crescent.

    Grecian Crescent354 m

  8. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Lever Street.

    Lever Street374 m

  9. Turn right:

    Turn right onto High Street.

    High Street595 m

  10. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Derby Street/A579. Continue on A579.

    A5796.5 km

  11. Turn right:

    Move right onto A577/Mealhouse Lane.

    A577510 m

  12. Turn left:

    Turn left onto A577/Bag Lane. Continue on A577.

    A577158 m

  13. Turn left:

    Move left onto Leigh Road/B5215. Continue on B5215.

    B52153.5 km

  14. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Lord Street/B5255. Continue on B5255.

    B5255502 m

  15. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Princess Street.

    Princess Street69 m

  16. Turn right:

    Turn right onto East Bond Street.

    East Bond Street216 m

  17. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Brewery Lane.

    Brewery Lane104 m

  18. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Higginson Street.

    Higginson Street144 m

  19. Turn right:

    Turn right onto College Street.

    College Street168 m

  20. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Princess Street.

    Princess Street81 m

  21. Continue:

    Continue on B5255.

    B525557 m

  22. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Chapel Street/A572.

    Chapel Street930 m

  23. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Warrington Road/A574.

    Warrington Road1.3 km

  24. Roundabout:

    Enter Greyhound Island and take the 1st exit onto A580/East Lancashire Road.

    Greyhound Island8 m

  25. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto A580/East Lancashire Road.

    A5808.1 km

  26. Turn right:

    Turn right onto A575/Walkden Road.

    A5751.2 km

  27. Roundabout:

    Enter St Mark's Church Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto M60.

    St Mark's Church Roundabout65 m

  28. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto M60/E 20/E 22.

    M603.3 km

  29. Take exit:

    Take exit 15 onto M61 towards Preston/Wigan/Bolton.

    M611.5 km

  30. Keep right:

    Keep right to take exit 2 to stay on M61 towards Bolton.

    M617.6 km

  31. Turn left:

    Make a sharp left onto Kay Street/B6206.

    B6206760 m

  32. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Great Moor Street/B6204.

    Great Moor Street217 m

  33. Turn right:

    Turn right to stay on Great Moor Street.

    Great Moor Street521 m

  34. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Deansgate/B6204.

    Deansgate719 m

  35. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Mayor Street/B6202. Continue on B6202.

    B6202552 m

  36. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Dobson Road.

    Dobson Road502 m

  37. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Chorley New Road/A673.

    Chorley New Road862 m

  38. U-turn:

    Make a right U-turn to stay on Chorley New Road/A673.

    Chorley New Road1.0 km

  39. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Shrewsbury Road.

    Shrewsbury Road138 m

  40. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Harrow Road.

    Harrow Road156 m

  41. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Somerset Road.

    Somerset Road136 m

  42. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Chorley New Road/A673.

    Chorley New Road1.2 km

  43. Turn right:

    Move right onto St Georges Road/A673.

    St Georges Road268 m

  44. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Topp Way/A673.

    Topp Way713 m

  45. Turn right:

    Turn right onto A666/St. Peter's Way.

    A6665.2 km

  46. Take exit:

    Take the Kearsley Interchange exit towards Kearsley.

    A666399 m

  47. Roundabout:

    Enter Kearsley Interchange and take the 3rd exit onto Bolton Road/A6053.

    Kearsley Interchange196 m

  48. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto Bolton Road/A6053.

    Bolton Road231 m

  49. Turn left:

    Move left onto Longcauseway/A5082.

    Longcauseway611 m

  50. Turn left:

    Move left onto Worsley Road/A575.

    Worsley Road726 m

  51. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Devonshire Road.

    Devonshire Road281 m

  52. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Lentworth Drive.

    Lentworth Drive32 m

  53. Turn left:

    Turn left to stay on Lentworth Drive.

    Lentworth Drive246 m

  54. Turn right:

    Turn right to stay on Lentworth Drive.

    Lentworth Drive68 m

  55. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Hirst Avenue.

    Hirst Avenue59 m

  56. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Worsley Road/A575. Continue on A575.

    A5751.7 km

  57. Keep left:

    Keep left to stay on A575.

    A5751.1 km

  58. Turn right:

    Take the exit on the right.

    A6663.1 km

  59. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Topp Way/A673.

    Topp Way719 m

  60. Turn right:

    Turn right onto St Georges Road/A673.

    St Georges Road331 m

  61. Turn left:

    Move left onto Chorley New Road/A673.

    Chorley New Road983 m

  62. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Mornington Road.

    Mornington Road395 m

  63. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Crosby Road.

    Crosby Road105 m

  64. Turn right:

    Turn right onto St Margaret's Road.

    St Margaret's Road50 m

  65. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Lonsdale Road.

    Lonsdale Road104 m

  66. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Mornington Road.

    Mornington Road446 m

  67. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Chorley New Road/A673.

    Chorley New Road987 m

  68. Turn right:

    Move right onto St Georges Road/A673.

    St Georges Road268 m

  69. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Topp Way/A673.

    Topp Way713 m

  70. Turn right:

    Turn right onto A666/St. Peter's Way.

    A6662.8 km

  71. Take exit:

    Take the Manchester Road exit.

    Manchester Road1.3 km

  72. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Gladstone Road/A575. Continue on A575.

    A575564 m

  73. Turn right:

    Turn right.

    6 m

  74. Turn right:

    Move right onto Back Harrowby Street.

    Back Harrowby Street43 m

  75. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Back Albert Road.

    Back Albert Road23 m

  76. U-turn:

    Make a right U-turn to stay on Back Albert Road.

    Back Albert Road23 m

  77. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Back Harrowby Street.

    Back Harrowby Street43 m

  78. Turn left:

    Move left.

    6 m

  79. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Albert Road/A575. Continue on A575.

    A575180 m

  80. Keep left:

    Keep left to stay on A575.

    A5751.1 km

  81. Turn right:

    Take the exit on the right.

    A6661.8 km

  82. Take exit:

    Take the exit.

    A666288 m

  83. Keep left:

    Keep left to take A579.

    A579242 m

  84. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Ash Street.

    Ash Street283 m

  85. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Breightmet Street.

    Breightmet Street82 m

  86. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Bradshawgate/A575.

    Bradshawgate205 m

  87. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Bridgeman Place/A579. Continue on A579.

    A579342 m

  88. Turn right:

    Turn right to take the A666 ramp.

    A6661.7 km

  89. Take exit:

    Take the Manchester Road exit.

    Manchester Road1.3 km

  90. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Gladstone Road/A575. Continue on A575.

    A575564 m

  91. Turn right:

    Turn right.

    6 m

  92. Turn right:

    Move right onto Back Harrowby Street.

    Back Harrowby Street43 m

  93. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Back Albert Road.

    Back Albert Road23 m

  94. U-turn:

    Make a right U-turn to stay on Back Albert Road.

    Back Albert Road23 m

  95. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Back Harrowby Street.

    Back Harrowby Street43 m

  96. Turn left:

    Move left.

    6 m

  97. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Albert Road/A575. Continue on A575.

    A575180 m

  98. Keep left:

    Keep left to stay on A575.

    A5751.1 km

  99. Turn right:

    Take the exit on the right.

    A6663.1 km

  100. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Topp Way/A673.

    Topp Way719 m

  101. Turn right:

    Turn right onto St Georges Road/A673.

    St Georges Road331 m

  102. Turn left:

    Move left onto Chorley New Road/A673.

    Chorley New Road258 m

  103. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Park Street.

    Park Street190 m

  104. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Chorley Old Road/B6226.

    Chorley Old Road594 m

  105. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Topp Way/A673.

    Topp Way558 m

  106. U-turn:

    Make a right U-turn at Higher Bridge Street/B6206 to stay on Topp Way/A673.

    Topp Way537 m

  107. U-turn:

    Make a right U-turn at St Georges Road to stay on Topp Way/A673.

    Topp Way699 m

  108. Turn right:

    Turn right onto A666/St. Peter's Way.

    A6662.8 km

  109. Take exit:

    Take the Manchester Road exit.

    Manchester Road661 m

  110. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Loxham Street/A6053. Continue on A6053.

    A60532.1 km

  111. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Market Street.

    Market Street329 m

  112. Turn left:

    Move left onto High Street.

    High Street1.3 km

  113. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Bolton Road/A665. Continue on A665.

    A6651.6 km

  114. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Spring Lane/A6053.

    Spring Lane549 m

  115. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Bury Road.

    Bury Road2.1 km

  116. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Ribchester Drive.

    Ribchester Drive79 m

  117. Turn left:

    Turn left to stay on Ribchester Drive.

    Ribchester Drive211 m

  118. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Read Close.

    Read Close44 m

  119. U-turn:

    Make a right U-turn to stay on Read Close.

    Read Close44 m

  120. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Ribchester Drive.

    Ribchester Drive210 m

  121. Turn right:

    Turn right to stay on Ribchester Drive.

    Ribchester Drive79 m

  122. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Radcliffe Road.

    Radcliffe Road2.1 km

  123. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Spring Lane/A6053.

    Spring Lane548 m

  124. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Blackburn Street/A665. Continue on A665.

    A6651.6 km

  125. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Stopes Road/A6053.

    Stopes Road1.3 km

  126. Turn right:

    Move right onto Market Street.

    Market Street330 m

  127. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Church Street/A6053.

    A60532.0 km

  128. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Manchester Road/A575.

    Manchester Road281 m

  129. Turn right:

    Take the A666 exit on the right.

    A666744 m

  130. Take exit:

    Take the exit.

    207 m

  131. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Raikes Lane/B6536.

    Raikes Lane119 m

  132. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Burnden Road/B6536.

    Burnden Road228 m

  133. Take exit:

    Stay straight to take the A666 ramp.

    A666672 m

  134. Take exit:

    Take the exit.

    A666317 m

  135. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Bradford Street/A579.

    Bradford Street37 m

  136. Turn right:

    Turn right to take the A666 ramp.

    A666980 m

  137. Turn left:

    Move left.

    152 m

  138. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Burnden Road/B6536.

    Burnden Road53 m

  139. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Raikes Lane.

    Raikes Lane60 m

  140. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Jackson Works.

    Jackson Works144 m

  141. Turn right:

    Turn right.

    280 m

  142. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Jackson Works.

    Jackson Works108 m

  143. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Raikes Lane.

    Raikes Lane280 m

  144. Keep left:

    Keep left to take Raikes Lane/B6536.

    Raikes Lane40 m

  145. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Manchester Road/B6536.

    Manchester Road830 m

  146. Turn right:

    Take the A666 exit on the right.

    A6662.1 km

  147. Take exit:

    Take the Kearsley Interchange exit towards Kearsley.

    A666399 m

  148. Roundabout:

    Enter Kearsley Interchange and take the 3rd exit onto Bolton Road/A6053.

    Kearsley Interchange196 m

  149. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto Bolton Road/A6053.

    Bolton Road231 m

  150. Turn left:

    Move left onto Longcauseway/A5082. Continue on A5082.

    A50821.8 km

  151. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Cleggs Lane/A5082.

    19 m

  152. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto Cleggs Lane/A5082. Continue on A5082.

    A50823.2 km

  153. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Sale Lane/A577. Continue on A577.

    A5771.6 km

  154. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Whewell Street.

    Whewell Street45 m

  155. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Darlington Street.

    Darlington Street81 m

  156. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Common Lane/A577.

    Common Lane44 m

  157. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Manchester Road/A577. Continue on A577.

    A5771.7 km

  158. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Mort Lane/A5082. Continue on A5082.

    A50823.2 km

  159. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Cleggs Lane/A5082.

    25 m

  160. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto Cleggs Lane/A5082. Continue on A5082.

    A50821.9 km

  161. Turn right:

    Move right onto Higher Market Street/A6053. Continue on A6053.

    A6053229 m

  162. Roundabout:

    Enter Kearsley Interchange and take the 1st exit onto A666/St. Peter's Way.

    Kearsley Interchange14 m

  163. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto A666/St. Peter's Way.

    A6663.1 km

  164. Take exit:

    Take the exit.

    207 m

  165. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Raikes Lane/B6536.

    Raikes Lane101 m

  166. Keep right:

    Keep right to stay on Raikes Lane/B6536.

    Raikes Lane42 m

  167. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Manchester Road/B6536.

    Manchester Road759 m

  168. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Orlando Street.

    Orlando Street88 m

  169. Turn left:

    Turn left to stay on Orlando Street.

    Orlando Street218 m

  170. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Thynne Street.

    3 m

  171. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto Thynne Street.

    Thynne Street638 m

  172. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Weston Street.

    Weston Street125 m

  173. Arrive:

    You have arrived at your destination.

Directions for the Bolton · Route 6 loop. Always drive to the road and conditions you see, not the list — signs, signals and other traffic take priority.

Local roads & landmarks

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.

Junctions & roundabouts

Decide your lane and exit on the approach to each of these, get set up early.

  • Kearsley Interchange
  • Thynne Street

Stations

Expect busier traffic, pick-ups and pedestrians around these.

  • Atherton
  • Moses Gate

Churches

Useful navigation anchors on the loop.

  • St Helens Road Methodist Church
  • Kingdom Hall
  • All Saints Ukrainian Catholic Church
  • Unity Church
  • Farnworth United Reformed Church

Pubs

Easy landmarks to navigate the loop by.

  • John Gilbert
  • Unicorn
  • Gatehouse

Shops & parades

Frequent stop-start traffic and pedestrians, keep your speed down.

  • Astley Computers
  • NK Furniture & Sofa's
  • Glam

Watch out for

  • 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 34.9 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.

Drive it: landmark by landmark

Navigate by these 20 catalogued landmarks rather than a memorised turn list, an indicative loop, not an official DVSA route.

  1. St Helens Road Methodist Church

    Start near St Helens Road Methodist Church.

  2. Atherton

    Continue to Atherton.

  3. Kingdom Hall

    Continue to Kingdom Hall.

  4. Astley Computers

    Continue to Astley Computers.

  5. John Gilbert

    Continue to John Gilbert.

  6. Kearsley Interchange

    Continue to Kearsley Interchange, taking the junction with good observation.

  7. All Saints Ukrainian Catholic Church

    Continue to All Saints Ukrainian Catholic Church.

  8. Unity Church

    Continue to Unity Church.

  9. NK Furniture & Sofa's

    Continue to NK Furniture & Sofa's.

  10. Farnworth United Reformed Church

    Continue to Farnworth United Reformed Church.

  11. Moses Gate

    Continue to Moses Gate.

  12. Parish Church of St. Margaret

    Continue to Parish Church of St. Margaret.

  13. Glam

    Continue to Glam.

  14. Christ Embassy Church

    Continue to Christ Embassy Church.

  15. King's Church

    Continue to King's Church.

  16. Radcliffe United Reform Church

    Continue to Radcliffe United Reform Church.

  17. Unicorn

    Continue to Unicorn.

  18. Gatehouse

    Continue to Gatehouse.

  19. Wharton & Cleggs Lane Church

    Continue to Wharton & Cleggs Lane Church.

  20. Thynne Street

    Finish back near Thynne Street, completing the loop.

More routes at Bolton test centre

Route FAQs

This route is 134.9 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.