Near Chingford test centre
Rated easy from its real manoeuvre load, 4 roundabouts, 13 turns and 3 signalled junctions across 20 navigation steps.
This is an independent 40.0 km practice loop near Chingford test centre, taking roughly 30 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 Crooked Billet Roundabout. 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, 20 mph zones, changing speed limits, residential manoeuvres, busy a-roads, independent driving 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 stations, shops, churches 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 Chingford 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 84-step drive on real, named roads (about 40.0 km). An indicative practice loop, not an official DVSA route — the roads and junctions are real, the sequence is a rehearsal.
Drive southeast on Connaught Avenue.
Connaught Avenue21 m
Turn right onto Station Road/A1069.
Station Road682 m
Turn right onto The Green/A110.
The Green195 m
Turn left onto The Ridgeway/B169.
The Ridgeway162 m
Turn right onto Nation Way.
Nation Way13 m
Turn left.
67 m
Turn left onto St Egberts Way.
St Egberts Way14 m
Turn left onto The Ridgeway/B169.
The Ridgeway230 m
Turn right onto The Green/A110. Continue on A110.
A110773 m
Turn left onto The Four Wents.
The Four Wents119 m
Turn right onto King's Road/A110. Continue on A110.
A1101.2 km
Turn left onto College Gardens.
College Gardens78 m
Turn left to stay on College Gardens.
College Gardens102 m
Turn right onto Mount Echo Drive.
Mount Echo Drive446 m
Turn right onto Mansfield Hill/A112.
Mansfield Hill340 m
Turn left onto Waltham Way/A1037.
Waltham Way1.9 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Hall Lane/A1009.
21 m
Exit the roundabout onto Hall Lane/A1009.
Hall Lane664 m
Stay straight to take the A406 ramp.
A10091.1 km
Take the Crooked Billet Interchange exit.
A406477 m
Enter Crooked Billet Roundabout and take the 4th exit onto Chingford Road/A112.
Crooked Billet Roundabout152 m
Exit the roundabout onto Chingford Road/A112.
Chingford Road866 m
Turn left to stay on Chingford Road/A112.
Chingford Road391 m
Turn right onto Forest Road/A503.
Forest Road965 m
Turn left onto Palmerston Road.
Palmerston Road274 m
Turn left onto Gainsford Road.
Gainsford Road222 m
Turn right onto Erskine Road.
Erskine Road187 m
Turn right onto Mansfield Road.
Mansfield Road242 m
Turn right onto Palmerston Road.
Palmerston Road472 m
Turn right onto Forest Road/A503.
Forest Road964 m
Turn left onto Chingford Road/A112.
Chingford Road391 m
Turn right to stay on Chingford Road/A112.
Chingford Road862 m
Enter Crooked Billet Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A406/Walthamstow Avenue.
Crooked Billet Roundabout82 m
Exit the roundabout onto A406/Walthamstow Avenue.
A4061.7 km
Take the Cooks Ferry exit towards Waltham Abbey/Chingford/Industrial Estates.
A406282 m
Enter Cooks Ferry Roundabout and take the 4th exit onto A1009.
Cooks Ferry Roundabout171 m
Exit the roundabout onto A1009.
A1009428 m
Turn left onto Hall Lane/A1009.
Hall Lane665 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Waltham Way/A1037.
11 m
Exit the roundabout onto Waltham Way/A1037.
Waltham Way859 m
Make a right U-turn at Waltham Way/A1037 to stay on Waltham Way/A1037.
Waltham Way865 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Hall Lane/A1009.
3 m
Exit the roundabout onto Hall Lane/A1009. Continue on A1009.
A10091.9 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Larkshall Road/B160.
12 m
Exit the roundabout onto Larkshall Road/B160.
Larkshall Road1.1 km
Turn right onto King's Road/A110. Continue on A110.
A1102.2 km
Turn left onto High Road Woodford Green/A104.
High Road Woodford Green239 m
Turn right onto High Road/A121.
High Road405 m
Turn left onto Beech Lane.
Beech Lane131 m
Turn left to stay on Beech Lane.
Beech Lane36 m
Turn left onto Epping New Road/A104.
Epping New Road28 m
Turn right onto Whitehall Lane.
Whitehall Lane450 m
Turn right onto Whitehall Road/A110. Continue on A110.
A1101.5 km
Turn left onto Larkshall Road/B160.
Larkshall Road209 m
Turn right onto Elmfield Road.
Elmfield Road407 m
Turn left onto Horsley Road.
Horsley Road56 m
Turn right onto Endlebury Road.
Endlebury Road196 m
Turn left onto Heathcote Grove.
Heathcote Grove184 m
Turn right onto Chingford Avenue.
Chingford Avenue767 m
Turn left onto Old Church Road/A112.
Old Church Road694 m
Turn left onto New Road/A1009.
New Road1.2 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto New Road/A1009.
39 m
Exit the roundabout onto New Road/A1009. Continue on A1009.
A1009575 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Chingford Lane/A1009.
64 m
Exit the roundabout onto Chingford Lane/A1009.
Chingford Lane1.0 km
Turn right onto Montalt Road.
Montalt Road486 m
Turn left onto The Charter Road.
The Charter Road53 m
Turn left onto Henrys Avenue.
Henrys Avenue44 m
Turn right to stay on Henrys Avenue.
Henrys Avenue316 m
Turn left onto Montalt Road.
Montalt Road453 m
Turn left onto Marion Grove.
Marion Grove107 m
Turn right onto Keynsham Avenue.
Keynsham Avenue255 m
Turn left onto Chingford Lane/A1009.
Chingford Lane369 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Friday Hill/B146.
67 m
Exit the roundabout onto Friday Hill/B146.
Friday Hill900 m
Turn right onto Whitehall Road/A110.
Whitehall Road1.4 km
Turn left to stay on Whitehall Road.
Whitehall Road14 m
Turn left to stay on Whitehall Road.
Whitehall Road63 m
Turn left to stay on Whitehall Road.
Whitehall Road14 m
Turn right onto Whitehall Road/A110.
Whitehall Road961 m
Turn right onto Kimberley Road.
Kimberley Road466 m
Turn right onto Beresford Road.
Beresford Road361 m
Turn left onto Station Road/A1069.
Station Road401 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Chingford · Route 17 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.
Easy landmarks to navigate the loop by.
Frequent stop-start traffic and pedestrians, keep your speed down.
Multiple roundabouts
Watch your lane discipline and signalling at Crooked Billet Roundabout. Get into the correct lane early and check your exit mirror before leaving.
Dual-carriageway join
About 2.1 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 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.
Kings Head Hill
Start near Kings Head Hill.
Stanley Road
Continue to Stanley Road.
Wine Lodge
Continue to Wine Lodge.
Brettenham Road
Continue to Brettenham Road.
Salisbury Hall Sainsbury's
Continue to Salisbury Hall Sainsbury's.
Renness Road
Continue to Renness Road.
Salvation Army - Walthamstow
Continue to Salvation Army - Walthamstow.
Church of St Michael & All Angels
Continue to Church of St Michael & All Angels.
Forest Road
Continue to Forest Road.
Crooked Billet Roundabout
Continue to Crooked Billet Roundabout.
Sir George Monoux College
Continue to Sir George Monoux College.
Old Hall Tavern
Continue to Old Hall Tavern.
Bojangles
Continue to Bojangles.
Methodist Church, South Chingford
Continue to Methodist Church, South Chingford.
All Saints (The Old Church)
Continue to All Saints (The Old Church).
Alpha Road
Continue to Alpha Road.
Shack No.14
Continue to Shack No.14.
Waterlilly Day Nursery
Continue to Waterlilly Day Nursery.
Chingford Bus Station
Continue to Chingford Bus Station.
Chingford Station
Finish back near Chingford Station, completing the loop.
1 roundabout · 17 turns · 2 sets of lights
2 roundabouts · 20 turns · 2 sets of lights
3 roundabouts · 14 turns · 1 set of lights
3 roundabouts · 17 turns · 1 set of lights
This route is 40.0 km and takes about 30 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Chingford test centre, not an official DVSA route.