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Practice route
Challenging

Chippenham · Route 13

Near Chippenham test centre

23.9 km
Distance
40 min
Duration
Challenging
Difficulty
19
Manoeuvres
Difficulty: Challenging

Rated challenging from its real manoeuvre load, 11 roundabouts, 11 turns and 1 signalled junction across 27 navigation steps.

How this route is examined

This is an independent 23.9 km practice route near Chippenham 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 Bumpers Farm, Cepen Park South, Brook Roundabout and Badger 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 named junctions, shops, pubs and churches, 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.

6
Left turns
5
Right turns
11
Roundabouts
1
Traffic lights
27
Total steps

Skills & features

34
Roundabouts
7.1 km
Dual carriageway
30, 40, 50, 60, 70 mph
Speed limits
20
Landmarks

This route helps you practise:

  • Multiple roundabouts
  • Dual-carriageway joins
  • National-speed roads
  • Changing speed limits
  • Residential manoeuvres
  • Busy A-roads
  • Sustained concentration

Road mix

  • Trunk roads 7.1 km
  • B-roads 4.5 km
  • Unclassified 4.0 km
  • Minor roads 2.8 km
  • A-roads 2.4 km
  • Residential 2.0 km
  • service_other 0.9 km

Turn-by-turn directions

The full 62-step drive on real, named roads (about 23.8 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 1st exit onto A350/West Cepen Way.

    Bumpers Farm17 m

  5. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto A350/West Cepen Way.

    A3502.2 km

  6. Roundabout:

    Enter Cepen Park South and take the 3rd exit onto A350/West Cepen Way.

    Cepen Park South143 m

  7. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto A350/West Cepen Way.

    A3502.2 km

  8. Roundabout:

    Enter Bumpers Farm and take the 2nd exit onto A350/West Cepen Way.

    Bumpers Farm52 m

  9. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto A350/West Cepen Way.

    A350236 m

  10. Roundabout:

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

    Brook Roundabout50 m

  11. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto A350/West Cepen Way.

    A350925 m

  12. Roundabout:

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

    Badger Roundabout44 m

  13. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto A350/West Cepen Way.

    A350269 m

  14. Roundabout:

    Enter Malmesbury Road Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A350/Malmesbury Road.

    Malmesbury Road Roundabout37 m

  15. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto A350/Malmesbury Road.

    A350908 m

  16. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Plough Lane.

    Plough Lane852 m

  17. Turn right:

    Move right onto The Common.

    The Common836 m

  18. Turn right:

    Move right onto Lower Common.

    Lower Common263 m

  19. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Swindon Road/B4069.

    Swindon Road398 m

  20. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Sutton Road.

    Sutton Road361 m

  21. Turn right:

    Move right.

    63 m

  22. Turn left:

    Turn left.

    163 m

  23. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Silver Street.

    Silver Street192 m

  24. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Days Lane.

    Days Lane162 m

  25. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Lower Common.

    Lower Common263 m

  26. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Swindon Road/B4069. Continue on B4069.

    B40691.9 km

  27. Turn right:

    Turn right.

    87 m

  28. U-turn:

    Make a right U-turn.

    87 m

  29. Turn right:

    Turn right onto B4069.

    B4069462 m

  30. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Parsonage Way.

    8 m

  31. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto Parsonage Way.

    Parsonage Way537 m

  32. Turn right:

    Turn right.

    236 m

  33. Turn left:

    Turn left.

    116 m

  34. Turn right:

    Turn right.

    162 m

  35. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Parsonage Way.

    Parsonage Way534 m

  36. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto B4069.

    65 m

  37. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto B4069.

    B4069466 m

  38. Turn left:

    Turn left.

    87 m

  39. U-turn:

    Make a right U-turn.

    87 m

  40. Turn right:

    Turn right onto B4069.

    B4069462 m

  41. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Pew Hill/B4069.

    32 m

  42. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto Pew Hill/B4069.

    Pew Hill149 m

  43. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Hill Corner Road.

    Hill Corner Road1.1 km

  44. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Oaklands.

    Oaklands212 m

  45. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Broomfield.

    Broomfield302 m

  46. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Greenway Lane.

    Greenway Lane93 m

  47. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Hill Rise.

    Hill Rise643 m

  48. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Barrow Green.

    Barrow Green97 m

  49. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Hill Rise.

    Hill Rise89 m

  50. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Northwood.

    Northwood299 m

  51. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Birch Grove.

    Birch Grove164 m

  52. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Langley Road/B4069.

    Langley Road1.1 km

  53. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Bath Road.

    Bath Road152 m

  54. Roundabout:

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

    Bridge Roundabout139 m

  55. Leave roundabout:

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

    A4201.5 km

  56. Roundabout:

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

    6 m

  57. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto Bristol Road/A420.

    Bristol Road20 m

  58. Roundabout:

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

    14 m

  59. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto Bristol Road/A420.

    Bristol Road545 m

  60. Roundabout:

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

    Bumpers Farm9 m

  61. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto Bumpers Way.

    Bumpers Way449 m

  62. Arrive:

    You have arrived at your destination.

Directions for the Chippenham · Route 13 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
  • Cepen Park South
  • Brook Roundabout
  • Badger Roundabout

Churches

Useful navigation anchors on the loop.

  • Plymouth Brethren Meeting Hall
  • Union Chapel
  • St Peter's
  • Brethren's Meeting Room
  • Baptist Church

Parks & green space

Pedestrian crossings and parked cars are common nearby.

  • Brook

Pubs

Easy landmarks to navigate the loop by.

  • Cepen Park
  • Hit Or Miss
  • Old Road Tavern
  • Grounded

Shops & parades

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

  • Toolstation
  • Co-op Food
  • Oxfam
  • Pets at Home

Watch out for

  • Multiple roundabouts

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

  • Dual-carriageway join

    About 7.1 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 (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. Bumpers Farm

    Start near Bumpers Farm.

  2. Toolstation

    Continue to Toolstation.

  3. Cepen Park South

    Continue to Cepen Park South, taking the junction with good observation.

  4. Brook Roundabout

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

  5. Badger Roundabout

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

  6. Cepen Park

    Continue to Cepen Park.

  7. Plymouth Brethren Meeting Hall

    Continue to Plymouth Brethren Meeting Hall.

  8. Union Chapel

    Continue to Union Chapel.

  9. St Peter's

    Continue to St Peter's.

  10. Hit Or Miss

    Continue to Hit Or Miss.

  11. Brethren's Meeting Room

    Continue to Brethren's Meeting Room.

  12. Co-op Food

    Continue to Co-op Food.

  13. Baptist Church

    Continue to Baptist Church.

  14. Old Road Tavern

    Continue to Old Road Tavern.

  15. Salvation Army - Chippenham

    Continue to Salvation Army - Chippenham.

  16. Grounded

    Continue to Grounded.

  17. Oxfam

    Continue to Oxfam.

  18. Brook

    Continue to Brook.

  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 23.9 km and takes about 40 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Chippenham test centre, not an official DVSA route.