Near Borehamwood test centre
Rated challenging from its real manoeuvre load, 13 roundabouts, 12 turns and 2 signalled junctions across 28 navigation steps.
This is an independent 68.7 km practice route near Borehamwood 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.
Along the way you'll meet Barnet Lane and Elstree Way. 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 named junctions, shops, churches and parks, 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 Borehamwood 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 121-step drive on real, named roads (about 68.7 km). An indicative practice loop, not an official DVSA route — the roads and junctions are real, the sequence is a rehearsal.
Drive east on Stirling Court.
Stirling Court19 m
Turn right onto Stirling Way.
Stirling Way429 m
Turn left to stay on Stirling Way.
Stirling Way24 m
Enter Stirling Corner and take the 4th exit onto Barnet Lane/A411.
Stirling Corner189 m
Exit the roundabout onto Barnet Lane/A411.
Barnet Lane445 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Barnet Lane/A411.
4 m
Exit the roundabout onto Barnet Lane/A411.
A4114.4 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Elstree Road/A411.
61 m
Exit the roundabout onto Elstree Road/A411.
Elstree Road606 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Elstree Road/A411.
26 m
Exit the roundabout onto Elstree Road/A411.
Elstree Road1.3 km
Turn right onto High Road/A4140.
High Road1.6 km
Turn right onto Park Road.
Park Road244 m
Turn right onto Herkomer Road.
Herkomer Road102 m
Turn right onto Bournehall Road.
Bournehall Road185 m
Turn left onto High Street/A411. Continue on A411.
A4111.5 km
Turn left onto Elstree Road/A411.
Elstree Road1.3 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Elstree Road/A411.
12 m
Exit the roundabout onto Elstree Road/A411.
Elstree Road603 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Elstree Road/A411.
59 m
Exit the roundabout onto Elstree Road/A411.
Elstree Road1.5 km
Move right onto Watford Road.
Watford Road2.8 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Barnet Lane/A411.
53 m
Exit the roundabout onto Barnet Lane/A411.
Barnet Lane435 m
Enter Stirling Corner and take the 2nd exit onto A1/Barnet Bypass.
Stirling Corner46 m
Exit the roundabout onto A1/Barnet Bypass.
A11.4 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Newark Green.
200 m
Exit the roundabout onto Newark Green.
Newark Green175 m
Turn right onto Balmoral Drive.
Balmoral Drive274 m
Turn right onto Warwick Road.
Warwick Road230 m
Turn left onto A5135.
A5135461 m
Enter Elstree Way and take the 3rd exit onto Elstree Way/A5135.
Elstree Way45 m
Exit the roundabout onto Elstree Way/A5135. Continue on A5135.
A5135588 m
Move right to stay on A5135.
A5135473 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Rowley Lane/A5135.
86 m
Exit the roundabout onto Rowley Lane/A5135. Continue on A5135.
A5135339 m
Stay straight to take the ramp towards A1.
A11.5 km
Enter Stirling Corner and take the 2nd exit onto A1/Barnet Way.
Stirling Corner98 m
Exit the roundabout onto A1/Barnet Way.
A12.4 km
Enter Apex Corner and take the 4th exit onto A1/Barnet Way.
Apex Corner154 m
Exit the roundabout onto A1/Barnet Way.
A12.4 km
Enter Stirling Corner and take the 9th exit onto Barnet Road/A411.
Stirling Corner425 m
Exit the roundabout onto Barnet Road/A411.
Barnet Road909 m
Turn right onto Hendon Wood Lane/B552.
Hendon Wood Lane1.4 km
Turn right onto Highwood Hill/A5109.
Highwood Hill527 m
Turn left onto Highwood Hill/B552. Continue on B552.
B552889 m
Turn right onto Hammers Lane/B1461.
Hammers Lane1.8 km
Turn right onto Wise Lane.
Wise Lane211 m
Make a left U-turn at Wise Lane to stay on Wise Lane.
Wise Lane819 m
Turn left onto Parkside.
Parkside418 m
Turn left onto Hillside Grove.
Hillside Grove207 m
Turn left onto Copthall Drive.
Copthall Drive203 m
Turn left onto Holmdene Avenue.
Holmdene Avenue97 m
Turn left onto Glenmere Avenue.
Glenmere Avenue263 m
Turn left onto Hillside Grove.
Hillside Grove92 m
Turn right onto Copthall Drive.
Copthall Drive90 m
Turn right onto Bunn's Lane.
Bunn's Lane798 m
Turn right to stay on Bunn's Lane.
Bunn's Lane80 m
Turn left onto Woodcroft Avenue.
Woodcroft Avenue839 m
Turn left onto Montrose Avenue.
Montrose Avenue1.1 km
Turn left onto Burnt Oak Broadway/A5.
Burnt Oak Broadway76 m
Turn right onto Holmstall Avenue.
Holmstall Avenue800 m
Enter Beverley Drive and take the 1st exit onto North Way.
Beverley Drive42 m
Exit the roundabout onto North Way.
North Way497 m
Turn right onto Princes Avenue.
Princes Avenue800 m
Turn left onto Honeypot Lane/A4140.
Honeypot Lane308 m
Enter Kingsbury Circle and take the 4th exit onto The Mall.
Kingsbury Circle133 m
Exit the roundabout onto The Mall.
The Mall1.4 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Preston Road.
18 m
Exit the roundabout onto Preston Road.
Preston Road1.7 km
Turn left onto Beechcroft Gardens.
Beechcroft Gardens497 m
Turn right onto Oakington Avenue.
Oakington Avenue175 m
Turn left onto Wembley Park Drive/A4089. Continue on A4089.
A4089665 m
Turn right onto Forty Lane/A4088.
Forty Lane60 m
Move left.
157 m
Move left onto Forty Lane/A4088.
Forty Lane601 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Salmon Street/A4140.
3 m
Exit the roundabout onto Salmon Street/A4140.
Salmon Street46 m
Move right onto Tudor Gardens/B454. Continue on B454.
B4542.0 km
Turn right onto Kingsbury Road/A4006.
Kingsbury Road1.2 km
Turn right onto Rushgrove Avenue.
Rushgrove Avenue645 m
Turn right onto Colindeep Lane/A5150.
Colindeep Lane736 m
Move left to stay on Colindeep Lane/A5150.
Colindeep Lane103 m
Continue on A5150/Colindeep Lane.
A51501.4 km
Enter Fiveways Corner and take the 4th exit onto A1/Watford Way.
Fiveways Corner44 m
Exit the roundabout onto A1/Watford Way.
A11.9 km
Enter Mill Hill Circus and take the 1st exit onto A1/Watford Way.
Mill Hill Circus47 m
Exit the roundabout onto A1/Watford Way.
A1728 m
Turn left onto Apex Parade.
Apex Parade10 m
Turn right to stay on Apex Parade.
Apex Parade188 m
Turn right onto Selvage Lane/A5109.
Selvage Lane42 m
Enter Apex Corner and take the 2nd exit onto A1/Barnet Way.
Apex Corner68 m
Exit the roundabout onto A1/Barnet Way.
A171 m
Turn right onto Marsh Lane/A5109.
Marsh Lane355 m
Turn left onto Hankins Lane.
Hankins Lane275 m
Turn left onto Courtland Avenue.
Courtland Avenue176 m
Move left onto A1/Barnet Way.
A1580 m
Enter Apex Corner and take the 4th exit onto A1/Barnet Way.
Apex Corner154 m
Exit the roundabout onto A1/Barnet Way.
A12.4 km
Enter Stirling Corner and take the 4th exit onto Barnet Road/A411.
Stirling Corner165 m
Exit the roundabout onto Barnet Road/A411.
Barnet Road1.2 km
Turn right.
32 m
Turn left onto Rockways.
Rockways12 m
Turn left onto Barnet Road/A411.
Barnet Road1.2 km
Enter Stirling Corner and take the 2nd exit onto Barnet Lane/A411.
Stirling Corner69 m
Exit the roundabout onto Barnet Lane/A411.
Barnet Lane445 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Furzehill Road.
27 m
Exit the roundabout onto Furzehill Road.
Furzehill Road864 m
Turn left onto Tennison Avenue.
Tennison Avenue27 m
Turn left onto Milton Drive.
Milton Drive98 m
Turn left to stay on Milton Drive.
Milton Drive61 m
Turn left onto Furzehill Road.
Furzehill Road28 m
Turn right to stay on Furzehill Road.
Furzehill Road604 m
Turn left onto Ashley Drive.
Ashley Drive513 m
Enter Ripon Way and take the 2nd exit onto Balmoral Drive.
Ripon Way41 m
Exit the roundabout onto Balmoral Drive.
Balmoral Drive1.4 km
Turn right onto Manor Way.
Manor Way217 m
Enter Elstree Way and take the 2nd exit onto Elstree Way/A5135.
Elstree Way28 m
Exit the roundabout onto Elstree Way/A5135. Continue on A5135.
A5135467 m
Turn right onto Warwick Road.
Warwick Road189 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Borehamwood · Route 13 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.
Decide your lane and exit on the approach to each of these, get set up early.
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.
Pedestrian crossings and parked cars are common nearby.
Easy landmarks to navigate the loop by.
Frequent stop-start traffic and pedestrians, keep your speed down.
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 16.4 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, 60 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.
Barnet Lane
Start near Barnet Lane.
Village Food and Wine
Continue to Village Food and Wine.
Bushey United Synagogue
Continue to Bushey United Synagogue.
Jesus Son of Mary Community Centre
Continue to Jesus Son of Mary Community Centre.
Ash's Newsagents
Continue to Ash's Newsagents.
Elstree Way
Continue to Elstree Way, taking the junction with good observation.
Self Storage Company
Continue to Self Storage Company.
Scratchwood Park
Continue to Scratchwood Park.
Belmont School - Mill Hill Preparatory School
Continue to Belmont School - Mill Hill Preparatory School.
Goodwyn School
Continue to Goodwyn School.
Kingsbury Circle
Continue to Kingsbury Circle.
Preston Road
Continue to Preston Road.
Wembley Park
Continue to Wembley Park.
Shree Swaminarayan Mandir
Continue to Shree Swaminarayan Mandir.
St Matthias Colindale
Continue to St Matthias Colindale.
UCL Observatory
Continue to UCL Observatory.
Courtland School
Continue to Courtland School.
Gate
Continue to Gate.
St Paul's Lutheran Church
Continue to St Paul's Lutheran Church.
Holy Cross
Finish back near Holy Cross, completing the loop.
24 roundabouts · 12 turns · 1 set of lights
6 roundabouts · 13 turns
5 roundabouts · 14 turns · 2 sets of lights
15 roundabouts · 10 turns
This route is 68.7 km and takes about 40 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Borehamwood test centre, not an official DVSA route.