Near Chippenham test centre
Rated demanding from its real manoeuvre load, 18 roundabouts, 6 turns and 2 signalled junctions across 29 navigation steps.
This is an independent 52.4 km practice route near Chippenham test centre, taking roughly 45 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 Chequers Roundabout, Cepen Park South 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, 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, churches, pubs and shops, 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.
What you’ll actually do on this loop, counted from its turn-by-turn directions.
This route helps you practise:
Road mix
The full 110-step drive on real, named roads (about 52.3 km). An indicative practice loop, not an official DVSA route — the roads and junctions are real, the sequence is a rehearsal.
Drive south.
15 m
Turn left.
38 m
Turn left onto Bumpers Way.
Bumpers Way805 m
Enter Bumpers Farm and take the 4th exit onto Bristol Road/A420.
Bumpers Farm135 m
Exit the roundabout onto Bristol Road/A420.
Bristol Road551 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Bristol Road/A420.
7 m
Exit the roundabout onto Bristol Road/A420.
Bristol Road20 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Bristol Road/A420.
13 m
Exit the roundabout onto Bristol Road/A420.
Bristol Road648 m
Turn right onto Woodlands Road.
Woodlands Road404 m
Turn right onto Brook Street.
Brook Street565 m
Turn left onto Hungerdown Lane/B4528.
Hungerdown Lane310 m
Turn right onto Frogwell.
Frogwell417 m
Turn right onto Lords Mead.
Lords Mead294 m
Turn right onto Barons Mead.
Barons Mead74 m
Turn left to stay on Barons Mead.
Barons Mead107 m
Turn left to stay on Barons Mead.
Barons Mead72 m
Turn left onto Lords Mead.
Lords Mead192 m
Turn right onto Frogwell Park.
Frogwell Park170 m
Turn right to stay on Frogwell Park.
Frogwell Park10 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Frogwell Park.
Frogwell Park10 m
Turn left to stay on Frogwell Park.
Frogwell Park170 m
Turn left onto Lords Mead.
Lords Mead252 m
Turn right onto Hungerdown Lane/B4528.
Hungerdown Lane450 m
Turn left onto Sheldon Road.
Sheldon Road758 m
Move left onto Lowden Hill.
Lowden Hill326 m
Turn left onto Bath Road/A4.
Bath Road146 m
Turn left to stay on Bath Road/A4.
Bath Road18 m
Enter Bridge Roundabout and take the 4th exit onto Bath Road.
Bridge Roundabout134 m
Exit the roundabout onto Bath Road.
Bath Road39 m
Turn left to stay on Bath Road.
Bath Road134 m
Turn left onto The Bridge.
The Bridge253 m
Turn left onto Ivy Lane/A420.
Ivy Lane285 m
Enter Bridge Roundabout and take the 4th exit onto Bath Road/A4.
Bridge Roundabout145 m
Exit the roundabout onto Bath Road/A4. Continue on A4.
A41.7 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Bath Road/A4.
39 m
Exit the roundabout onto Bath Road/A4.
Bath Road504 m
Enter Methuen Park and take the 2nd exit onto Bath Road/A4.
Methuen Park50 m
Exit the roundabout onto Bath Road/A4.
Bath Road217 m
Enter Chequers Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A4/Bath Road.
Chequers Roundabout50 m
Exit the roundabout onto A4/Bath Road.
A42.6 km
Turn left onto Cross Keys Road.
Cross Keys Road713 m
Turn left onto Priory Street.
Priory Street171 m
Turn left onto High Street.
High Street210 m
Turn right onto Cross Keys Road.
Cross Keys Road539 m
Turn right onto A4/Bath Road.
A42.6 km
Enter Chequers Roundabout and take the 1st exit onto A350/West Cepen Way.
Chequers Roundabout12 m
Exit the roundabout onto A350/West Cepen Way.
A350270 m
Enter Cepen Park South and take the 1st exit onto A350/West Cepen Way.
Cepen Park South47 m
Exit the roundabout onto A350/West Cepen Way.
A3502.2 km
Enter Bumpers Farm and take the 2nd exit onto A350/West Cepen Way.
Bumpers Farm52 m
Exit the roundabout onto A350/West Cepen Way.
A350236 m
Enter Brook Roundabout and take the 1st exit onto A350/West Cepen Way.
Brook Roundabout50 m
Exit the roundabout onto A350/West Cepen Way.
A350925 m
Enter Badger Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A350/West Cepen Way.
Badger Roundabout44 m
Exit the roundabout onto A350/West Cepen Way.
A350269 m
Enter Malmesbury Road Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A350/Malmesbury Road.
Malmesbury Road Roundabout37 m
Exit the roundabout onto A350/Malmesbury Road.
A350908 m
Turn right onto Plough Lane.
Plough Lane852 m
Move right onto The Common.
The Common409 m
Turn left onto Middle Common.
Middle Common526 m
Turn left onto Newlands Green.
Newlands Green14 m
Turn right onto Newlands Close.
Newlands Close62 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Newlands Close.
Newlands Close62 m
Turn left onto Newlands Green.
Newlands Green14 m
Turn right onto Ashes Lane.
Ashes Lane526 m
Turn right onto The Common.
The Common409 m
Move left onto Plough Lane.
Plough Lane837 m
Turn left onto A350/Malmesbury Road.
A350915 m
Enter Malmesbury Road Roundabout and take the 3rd exit towards A350/(A4)/Cepen Park/Town centre.
Malmesbury Road Roundabout83 m
Exit the roundabout towards A350/(A4)/Cepen Park/Town centre.
A350268 m
Enter Badger Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A350/West Cepen Way.
Badger Roundabout45 m
Exit the roundabout onto A350/West Cepen Way.
A350922 m
Enter Brook Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A350/West Cepen Way.
Brook Roundabout43 m
Exit the roundabout onto A350/West Cepen Way.
A350233 m
Enter Bumpers Farm and take the 3rd exit onto A350/West Cepen Way.
Bumpers Farm91 m
Exit the roundabout onto A350/West Cepen Way.
A3502.2 km
Enter Cepen Park South and take the 2nd exit onto A350/West Cepen Way.
Cepen Park South59 m
Exit the roundabout onto A350/West Cepen Way.
A350265 m
Enter Chequers Roundabout and take the 4th exit onto A4/Bath Road.
Chequers Roundabout119 m
Exit the roundabout onto A4/Bath Road.
A43.8 km
Turn left onto Pickwick Road/B3353. Continue on B3353.
B33531.1 km
Turn right onto Pound Pill/B3353.
Pound Pill311 m
Turn right onto Stokes Road.
Stokes Road252 m
Turn right onto Station Road.
Station Road478 m
Turn left onto Pickwick Road/B3353.
Pickwick Road986 m
Turn right onto A4/Bath Road.
A43.8 km
Enter Chequers Roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Bath Road/A4.
Chequers Roundabout68 m
Exit the roundabout onto Bath Road/A4.
Bath Road215 m
Enter Methuen Park and take the 2nd exit onto Bath Road.
Methuen Park62 m
Exit the roundabout onto Bath Road.
Bath Road495 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Bath Road/A4.
29 m
Exit the roundabout onto Bath Road/A4. Continue on A4.
A41.7 km
Turn left onto Bath Road/A4.
Bath Road18 m
Enter Bridge Roundabout and take the 4th exit onto Bath Road.
Bridge Roundabout134 m
Exit the roundabout onto Bath Road.
Bath Road39 m
Turn left to stay on Bath Road.
Bath Road134 m
Turn left onto The Bridge.
The Bridge253 m
Move left onto Marshfield Road.
Marshfield Road1.3 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Bristol Road/A420.
6 m
Exit the roundabout onto Bristol Road/A420.
Bristol Road20 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Bristol Road/A420.
14 m
Exit the roundabout onto Bristol Road/A420.
Bristol Road545 m
Enter Bumpers Farm and take the 2nd exit onto A350/West Cepen Way.
Bumpers Farm47 m
Exit the roundabout onto A350/West Cepen Way.
A3502.2 km
Enter Cepen Park South and take the 3rd exit onto A350/West Cepen Way.
Cepen Park South143 m
Exit the roundabout onto A350/West Cepen Way.
A3502.2 km
Enter Bumpers Farm and take the 4th exit onto Bumpers Way.
Bumpers Farm130 m
Exit the roundabout onto Bumpers Way.
Bumpers Way449 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Chippenham · Route 11 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.
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
Watch your lane discipline and signalling at Chequers Roundabout, Brook Roundabout. Get into the correct lane early and check your exit mirror before leaving.
Dual-carriageway join
About 24.6 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, 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.
Navigate by these 20 catalogued landmarks rather than a memorised turn list, an indicative loop, not an official DVSA route.
Brook
Start near Brook.
St Peter's
Continue to St Peter's.
Kingfisher
Continue to Kingfisher.
Sheldon Road Methodist Church
Continue to Sheldon Road Methodist Church.
Baptist Church
Continue to Baptist Church.
Salvation Army - Chippenham
Continue to Salvation Army - Chippenham.
Greggs
Continue to Greggs.
Chequers Roundabout
Continue to Chequers Roundabout, taking the junction with good observation.
Heywood Prep
Continue to Heywood Prep.
Cepen Park South
Continue to Cepen Park South, taking the junction with good observation.
Brook Roundabout
Continue to Brook Roundabout, taking the junction with good observation.
Plymouth Brethren Meeting Hall
Continue to Plymouth Brethren Meeting Hall.
Union Chapel
Continue to Union Chapel.
McDonald's
Continue to McDonald's.
St Aldhelm's
Continue to St Aldhelm's.
Mr Pastry
Continue to Mr Pastry.
Pheasant
Continue to Pheasant.
Rowden Arms
Continue to Rowden Arms.
Reel Cinema
Continue to Reel Cinema.
Yilmaz Kebabs & Breakfast
Finish back near Yilmaz Kebabs & Breakfast, completing the loop.
15 roundabouts · 12 turns · 2 sets of lights
12 roundabouts · 8 turns · 2 sets of lights
7 roundabouts · 11 turns · 2 sets of lights
11 roundabouts · 11 turns
This route is 52.4 km and takes about 45 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Chippenham test centre, not an official DVSA route.