Near Bolton test centre
Rated moderate from its real manoeuvre load, 2 roundabouts, 17 turns and 9 signalled junctions across 27 navigation steps.
This is an independent 78.4 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, 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 119-step drive on real, named roads (about 78.3 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 Street637 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 4th exit onto Thynne Street.
80 m
Exit the roundabout onto Thynne Street.
Thynne Street735 m
Move right onto Bradford Road.
Bradford Road2.1 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.
A5792.5 km
Turn right onto Long Lane.
Long Lane17 m
Make a sharp right.
27 m
Move left onto A58/Bury Road. Continue on Bury Road.
Bury Road957 m
Turn right onto Ainsworth Lane/B6208.
Ainsworth Lane550 m
Turn left onto Rossall Street.
Rossall Street32 m
Turn right onto Back Ainsworth Lane.
Back Ainsworth Lane95 m
Turn right onto Entwistle Street.
Entwistle Street31 m
Turn right onto Ainsworth Lane/B6208.
Ainsworth Lane402 m
Turn left onto Wisbeck Road.
Wisbeck Road287 m
Turn right onto Staton Avenue.
Staton Avenue67 m
Turn right onto Shireburn Avenue.
Shireburn Avenue240 m
Turn right onto Marton Avenue.
Marton Avenue125 m
Turn right onto Cleveleys Avenue.
Cleveleys Avenue207 m
Turn left onto Staton Avenue.
Staton Avenue231 m
Turn left onto Archer Avenue.
Archer Avenue241 m
Turn left onto Ainsworth Lane/B6208.
Ainsworth Lane477 m
Turn right onto Bury Road/A579. Continue on A579.
A579296 m
Keep left to take Bradford Street/A579.
Bradford Street633 m
Take the exit.
A6661.7 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 Street1.7 km
Turn left onto Anchor Lane.
Anchor Lane347 m
Turn right.
41 m
Turn right.
61 m
Turn left.
64 m
Turn left onto Anchor Lane.
Anchor Lane348 m
Turn right onto Highfield Road.
Highfield Road1.7 km
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.
A6661.8 km
Take the exit.
A666317 m
Turn right onto Bradford Street/A579. Continue on A579.
A579998 m
Turn left onto Ainsworth Lane/B6208.
Ainsworth Lane479 m
Turn right onto Archer Avenue.
Archer Avenue314 m
Turn left onto A58/Crompton Way.
A58514 m
Turn left onto Thicketford Road.
Thicketford Road861 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. Continue on Folds Road.
Folds Road232 m
Move right onto Folds Road/A676. Continue on A676.
A676312 m
Move left onto Tonge Moor Road/A676.
Tonge Moor Road976 m
Turn right onto Haroldene Street.
Haroldene Street63 m
Turn right onto Furness Avenue.
Furness Avenue149 m
Turn right onto Tintern Avenue.
Tintern Avenue61 m
Turn left onto Tonge Moor Road/A676.
Tonge Moor Road843 m
Move right onto Tonge Moor Road/A676.
A676708 m
Turn left onto Bury New Road/A673.
Bury New Road548 m
Turn right onto Gloster Street.
Gloster Street107 m
Turn right onto Devon Street.
Devon Street71 m
Turn left onto Castle Street/B6209.
Castle Street114 m
Turn right onto Bradford Street/A579.
Bradford Street230 m
Take the A666 exit.
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.
A6661.8 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 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.
A6663.1 km
Take the exit.
207 m
Turn left onto Raikes Lane/B6536.
Raikes Lane101 m
Keep right to stay on Raikes Lane/B6536.
Raikes Lane42 m
Turn right onto Manchester Road/B6536.
Manchester Road759 m
Turn left onto Orlando Street.
Orlando Street88 m
Turn left to stay on Orlando Street.
Orlando Street218 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Thynne Street.
43 m
Exit the roundabout onto Thynne Street.
Thynne Street188 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 4th exit onto Thynne Street.
36 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 left onto Grecian Crescent.
Grecian Crescent354 m
Turn left onto Weston Street.
Weston Street661 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Bolton · Route 7 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 17.4 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.
Gatehouse
Continue to Gatehouse.
Tyldesley Chapel
Continue to Tyldesley Chapel.
Atherton
Continue to Atherton.
Shree Kutch Satsang Swaminarayan Temple
Continue to Shree Kutch Satsang Swaminarayan Temple.
AA
Continue to AA.
Trinity Methodist Church
Continue to Trinity Methodist Church.
Bowling Green
Continue to Bowling Green.
Bridge Church
Continue to Bridge Church.
Moses Gate
Continue to Moses Gate.
Shakespeare
Continue to Shakespeare.
Sughra Mosque
Continue to Sughra Mosque.
St Augustine C Of E Church
Continue to St Augustine C Of E Church.
Lord Clyde
Continue to Lord Clyde.
Bolton
Continue to Bolton.
Bent & Bongs Beer Festival
Continue to Bent & Bongs Beer Festival.
Cambian Tyldesley School
Continue to Cambian Tyldesley School.
Wharton & Cleggs Lane Church
Continue to Wharton & Cleggs Lane Church.
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 78.4 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.