Near Borehamwood test centre
Rated challenging from its real manoeuvre load, 10 roundabouts and 15 turns across 29 navigation steps.
This is an independent 38.3 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 Elstree Way, Barnet Lane and Kenilworth Drive. 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, 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 shops, named junctions, parks 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 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 89-step drive on real, named roads (about 38.3 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 left onto Stirling Way.
Stirling Way105 m
Turn right onto Ripon Way.
Ripon Way38 m
Turn left onto A1/Barnet Bypass.
A1841 m
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 3rd exit onto A1/Barnet Bypass.
Stirling Corner94 m
Exit the roundabout onto A1/Barnet Bypass.
A11.4 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 4th exit onto Rowley Lane/A5135.
293 m
Exit the roundabout onto Rowley Lane/A5135.
Rowley Lane404 m
Turn right to stay on A5135.
A5135123 m
Move left.
52 m
Move left onto Rowley Lane.
Rowley Lane442 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Rowley Lane.
24 m
Exit the roundabout onto Rowley Lane.
Rowley Lane367 m
Turn left onto Well End Road.
Well End Road344 m
Make a sharp left onto Potters Lane.
Potters Lane29 m
Turn left to stay on Potters Lane.
Potters Lane22 m
Turn right onto Well End Road.
Well End Road314 m
Turn right onto Rowley Lane.
Rowley Lane366 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Rowley Lane.
18 m
Exit the roundabout onto Rowley Lane.
Rowley Lane936 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 6th exit onto Barnet Road/A411.
Stirling Corner299 m
Exit the roundabout onto Barnet Road/A411.
Barnet Road2.3 km
Turn right onto Quinta Drive.
Quinta Drive937 m
Turn left onto Stanhope Road.
Stanhope Road240 m
Turn right onto Dexter Road.
Dexter Road145 m
Turn right onto Mays Lane.
Mays Lane219 m
Turn right onto Nupton Drive.
Nupton Drive1.0 km
Turn left onto Barnet Road/A411.
Barnet Road2.3 km
Enter Stirling Corner and take the 5th exit onto Barnet Road/A411.
Stirling Corner215 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 1st exit onto Barnet Lane/A411.
4 m
Exit the roundabout onto Barnet Lane/A411.
Barnet Lane1.3 km
Turn right onto Deacons Hill Road.
Deacons Hill Road826 m
Turn right onto Deacons Close.
Deacons Close104 m
Turn right.
9 m
Make a right U-turn.
9 m
Turn left onto Deacons Close.
Deacons Close104 m
Turn right onto Deacons Hill Road.
Deacons Hill Road131 m
Turn left onto Allum Lane/B5378.
Allum Lane527 m
Turn left onto Knowl Way.
Knowl Way150 m
Turn left onto Lodge Avenue.
Lodge Avenue453 m
Turn right onto Allum Lane/B5378. Continue on B5378.
B53781.1 km
Enter Tesco Roundabout and take the 4th exit onto Shenley Road/B5378.
Tesco Roundabout71 m
Exit the roundabout onto Shenley Road/B5378.
Shenley Road207 m
Turn left onto Cardinal Avenue.
Cardinal Avenue462 m
Turn left onto Hillside Avenue.
Hillside Avenue560 m
Move left onto Bullhead Road.
Bullhead Road5 m
Turn left to stay on Bullhead Road.
Bullhead Road510 m
Turn right onto Elstree Way/A5135.
Elstree Way118 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Elstree Way/A5135.
22 m
Exit the roundabout onto Elstree Way/A5135.
Elstree Way21 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Manor Way.
22 m
Exit the roundabout onto Manor Way.
Manor Way540 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Kenilworth Drive.
25 m
Exit the roundabout onto Kenilworth Drive.
Kenilworth Drive433 m
Turn right onto Balmoral Drive.
Balmoral Drive222 m
Turn left onto Howard Drive.
Howard Drive86 m
Turn left onto Tempsford Avenue.
Tempsford Avenue420 m
Turn right onto Newark Green.
Newark Green77 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Rowley Lane/A5135.
60 m
Exit the roundabout onto Rowley Lane/A5135. Continue on A5135.
A5135926 m
Enter Elstree Way and take the 1st exit onto Manor Way.
Elstree Way3 m
Exit the roundabout onto Manor Way.
Manor Way216 m
Turn left onto Chester Road.
Chester Road348 m
Turn left onto Warwick Road.
Warwick Road40 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Borehamwood · 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.
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.
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 10.9 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 (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.
Charles Wilson Engineers Ltd
Start near Charles Wilson Engineers Ltd.
Elstree Way
Continue to Elstree Way, taking the junction with good observation.
Firework Corner
Continue to Firework Corner.
Self Storage Company
Continue to Self Storage Company.
Scratchwood Park
Continue to Scratchwood Park.
M&S Simply Food
Continue to M&S Simply Food.
Mops & Brooms
Continue to Mops & Brooms.
Little Waitrose
Continue to Little Waitrose.
St Peter's Arkley
Continue to St Peter's Arkley.
St Peter's House
Continue to St Peter's House.
Quinta Stores
Continue to Quinta Stores.
Barnet Lane
Continue to Barnet Lane, taking the junction with good observation.
Asda
Continue to Asda.
Alfred Arms
Continue to Alfred Arms.
Elstree & Borehamwood
Continue to Elstree & Borehamwood.
All Saints
Continue to All Saints.
Pick & Shovel
Continue to Pick & Shovel.
Kwik Fit
Continue to Kwik Fit.
Holy Cross
Continue to Holy Cross.
Kenilworth Drive
Finish back near Kenilworth Drive, completing the loop.
24 roundabouts · 12 turns · 1 set of lights
6 roundabouts · 13 turns
13 roundabouts · 12 turns · 2 sets of lights
5 roundabouts · 14 turns · 2 sets of lights
This route is 38.3 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.