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Practice route
Challenging

Chippenham · Route 10

Near Chippenham test centre

38.8 km
Distance
30 min
Duration
Challenging
Difficulty
19
Manoeuvres
Difficulty: Moderate

Rated moderate from its real manoeuvre load, 7 roundabouts, 11 turns and 2 signalled junctions across 20 navigation steps.

How this route is examined

This is an independent 38.8 km practice route near Chippenham 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 Bumpers Farm and Brook 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, 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 parks, named junctions, 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 Chippenham 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.

1
Left turns
10
Right turns
7
Roundabouts
2
Traffic lights
20
Total steps

Skills & features

34
Roundabouts
1.9 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 13.1 km
  • Unclassified 8.3 km
  • B-roads 6.7 km
  • Residential 3.2 km
  • Minor roads 3.0 km
  • Trunk roads 1.9 km
  • service_other 0.4 km

Turn-by-turn directions

The full 69-step drive on real, named roads (about 38.8 km). An indicative practice loop, not an official DVSA route — the roads and junctions are real, the sequence is a rehearsal.

  1. Depart:

    Drive south.

    15 m

  2. Turn left:

    Turn left.

    38 m

  3. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Bumpers Way.

    Bumpers Way805 m

  4. Roundabout:

    Enter Bumpers Farm and take the 4th exit onto Bristol Road/A420.

    Bumpers Farm135 m

  5. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto Bristol Road/A420.

    Bristol Road551 m

  6. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Bristol Road/A420.

    7 m

  7. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto Bristol Road/A420.

    Bristol Road20 m

  8. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Bristol Road/A420.

    13 m

  9. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto Bristol Road/A420. Continue on A420.

    A4201.0 km

  10. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Park Fields.

    Park Fields68 m

  11. Turn left:

    Turn left to stay on Park Fields.

    Park Fields196 m

  12. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Park Terrace.

    Park Terrace74 m

  13. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Bristol Road/A420.

    Bristol Road792 m

  14. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Bristol Road/A420.

    6 m

  15. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto Bristol Road/A420.

    Bristol Road20 m

  16. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Bristol Road/A420.

    14 m

  17. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto Bristol Road/A420.

    Bristol Road545 m

  18. Roundabout:

    Enter Bumpers Farm and take the 3rd exit onto Bristol Road/A420.

    Bumpers Farm94 m

  19. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto Bristol Road/A420. Continue on A420.

    A4204.4 km

  20. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Upper Castle Combe Road.

    Upper Castle Combe Road482 m

  21. Turn right:

    Move right to stay on Upper Castle Combe Road.

    Upper Castle Combe Road2.5 km

  22. Turn right:

    Turn right onto B4039.

    B40393.8 km

  23. Turn left:

    Turn left.

    686 m

  24. Turn right:

    Turn right.

    24 m

  25. Turn left:

    Turn left.

    198 m

  26. Turn right:

    Turn right.

    11 m

  27. Turn right:

    Turn right.

    115 m

  28. Turn left:

    Turn left.

    685 m

  29. Turn left:

    Turn left onto B4039.

    B40392.1 km

  30. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Sheldon Corner.

    Sheldon Corner938 m

  31. Turn right:

    Move right onto Chippenham Lane.

    Chippenham Lane2.6 km

  32. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Cross Keys Road.

    Cross Keys Road448 m

  33. Turn right:

    Move right onto Cuttle Lane.

    Cuttle Lane1.3 km

  34. Turn right:

    Turn right onto A420.

    A4203.8 km

  35. Roundabout:

    Enter Bumpers Farm and take the 1st exit onto A350/West Cepen Way.

    Bumpers Farm9 m

  36. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto A350/West Cepen Way.

    A350236 m

  37. Roundabout:

    Enter Brook Roundabout and take the 1st exit onto A350/West Cepen Way.

    Brook Roundabout50 m

  38. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto A350/West Cepen Way.

    A350925 m

  39. Roundabout:

    Enter Badger Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A350/West Cepen Way.

    Badger Roundabout44 m

  40. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto A350/West Cepen Way.

    A350269 m

  41. Roundabout:

    Enter Malmesbury Road Roundabout and take the 4th exit onto Malmesbury Road/B4158.

    Malmesbury Road Roundabout92 m

  42. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto Malmesbury Road/B4158.

    Malmesbury Road1.5 km

  43. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Greenway Avenue.

    Greenway Avenue192 m

  44. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Greenway Lane.

    Greenway Lane623 m

  45. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Hill Corner Road.

    Hill Corner Road357 m

  46. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Oaklands.

    Oaklands54 m

  47. Turn left:

    Turn left to stay on Oaklands.

    Oaklands244 m

  48. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Broomfield.

    Broomfield240 m

  49. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Greenway Lane.

    Greenway Lane251 m

  50. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Birch Grove.

    Birch Grove108 m

  51. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Elmwood.

    Elmwood126 m

  52. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Maple Way.

    Maple Way108 m

  53. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Greenway Lane.

    Greenway Lane131 m

  54. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Birch Grove.

    Birch Grove108 m

  55. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Elmwood.

    Elmwood126 m

  56. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Maple Way.

    Maple Way108 m

  57. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Greenway Lane.

    Greenway Lane131 m

  58. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Birch Grove.

    Birch Grove272 m

  59. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Langley Road/B4069.

    Langley Road1.1 km

  60. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Bath Road.

    Bath Road152 m

  61. Roundabout:

    Enter Bridge Roundabout and take the 4th exit onto Ivy Lane/A420.

    Bridge Roundabout139 m

  62. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto Ivy Lane/A420. Continue on A420.

    A4201.5 km

  63. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Bristol Road/A420.

    6 m

  64. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto Bristol Road/A420.

    Bristol Road20 m

  65. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Bristol Road/A420.

    14 m

  66. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto Bristol Road/A420.

    Bristol Road545 m

  67. Roundabout:

    Enter Bumpers Farm and take the 1st exit onto Bumpers Way.

    Bumpers Farm9 m

  68. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto Bumpers Way.

    Bumpers Way449 m

  69. Arrive:

    You have arrived at your destination.

Directions for the Chippenham · Route 10 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.

  • Bumpers Farm
  • Brook Roundabout

Schools

Watch for 20 mph zones, crossings and children near these.

  • St Nicholas School

Churches

Useful navigation anchors on the loop.

  • Castle Combe Congregational Church
  • Baptist Church
  • Salvation Army - Chippenham

Parks & green space

Pedestrian crossings and parked cars are common nearby.

  • Brook

Pubs

Easy landmarks to navigate the loop by.

  • Crown Inn
  • Bell Inn
  • White Horse
  • Cepen Park

Shops & parades

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

  • MGS Garage
  • Allington Farm Shop
  • Allington Garden Shop
  • Co-op Food

Watch out for

  • Multiple roundabouts

    Watch your lane discipline and signalling at Brook Roundabout. Get into the correct lane early and check your exit mirror before leaving.

  • Dual-carriageway join

    About 1.9 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. Brook

    Start near Brook.

  2. Bumpers Farm

    Continue to Bumpers Farm, taking the junction with good observation.

  3. MGS Garage

    Continue to MGS Garage.

  4. Crown Inn

    Continue to Crown Inn.

  5. Castle Combe Congregational Church

    Continue to Castle Combe Congregational Church.

  6. Bell Inn

    Continue to Bell Inn.

  7. Allington Farm Shop

    Continue to Allington Farm Shop.

  8. Allington Garden Shop

    Continue to Allington Garden Shop.

  9. White Horse

    Continue to White Horse.

  10. Brook Roundabout

    Continue to Brook Roundabout, taking the junction with good observation.

  11. Cepen Park

    Continue to Cepen Park.

  12. St Nicholas School

    Continue to St Nicholas School.

  13. Co-op Food

    Continue to Co-op Food.

  14. MS-2 Store

    Continue to MS-2 Store.

  15. New Inn

    Continue to New Inn.

  16. Old Road Tavern

    Continue to Old Road Tavern.

  17. Baptist Church

    Continue to Baptist Church.

  18. Salvation Army - Chippenham

    Continue to Salvation Army - Chippenham.

  19. Pets at Home

    Continue to Pets at Home.

  20. Yilmaz Kebabs & Breakfast

    Finish back near Yilmaz Kebabs & Breakfast, completing the loop.

More routes at Chippenham test centre

Route FAQs

This route is 38.8 km and takes about 30 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Chippenham test centre, not an official DVSA route.