Near Darlington test centre
Rated moderate from its real manoeuvre load, 9 roundabouts, 12 turns and 2 signalled junctions across 23 navigation steps.
This is an independent 54.1 km practice route near Darlington test centre, taking roughly 35 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 Little Burdon Roundabout and Blands Corner. 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 churches, pubs, shops and named junctions, 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 Darlington 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 120-step drive on real, named roads (about 54.0 km). An indicative practice loop, not an official DVSA route — the roads and junctions are real, the sequence is a rehearsal.
Drive northwest.
236 m
Turn left.
36 m
Turn left onto Yarm Road/B6280.
Yarm Road650 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Yarm Road/B6280.
35 m
Exit the roundabout onto Yarm Road/B6280.
Yarm Road973 m
Turn right onto The Mead.
The Mead291 m
Turn left onto Yarm Road/B6280.
Yarm Road1.1 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto McMullen Road.
12 m
Exit the roundabout onto McMullen Road.
McMullen Road1.2 km
Turn right onto Darlington Eastern Transport Corridor/B6279.
Darlington Eastern Transport Corridor1.2 km
Turn right.
204 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit.
32 m
Exit the roundabout.
311 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit.
25 m
Exit the roundabout.
446 m
Turn right onto Morton Road.
Morton Road233 m
Turn left onto Lingfield Way.
Lingfield Way485 m
Turn left onto Yarm Road/B6280.
Yarm Road311 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Yarm Road/B6280.
47 m
Exit the roundabout onto Yarm Road/B6280.
Yarm Road178 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit towards The North/Teesside/Durham.
11 m
Exit the roundabout towards The North/Teesside/Durham.
A661.4 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A66.
67 m
Exit the roundabout onto A66.
A661.1 km
Enter Little Burdon Roundabout and take the 1st exit towards The North/Durham/Darlington.
Little Burdon Roundabout7 m
Exit the roundabout towards The North/Durham/Darlington.
Stockton Road1.1 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Whinfield Road/A1150.
43 m
Exit the roundabout onto Whinfield Road/A1150. Continue on A1150.
A11502.3 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit towards Durham.
39 m
Exit the roundabout towards Durham.
A1672.5 km
Turn right.
167 m
Make a right U-turn.
167 m
Turn left onto Durham Road/A167. Continue on A167.
A1672.5 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto North Road/A167.
43 m
Exit the roundabout onto North Road/A167.
North Road1.7 km
Move right onto North Road/A167. Continue on A167.
A167866 m
Enter Northgate Roundabout and take the 1st exit towards Northalleron/Barnard Castle/Teesside/A1(M) South.
Northgate Roundabout21 m
Exit the roundabout towards Northalleron/Barnard Castle/Teesside/A1(M) South.
A167229 m
Enter Freeman's Place Roundabout and take the 2nd exit towards Yarm.
Freeman's Place Roundabout29 m
Exit the roundabout towards Yarm.
St Cuthberts Way150 m
Turn left towards B6280/Yarm.
B62801.5 km
Turn left onto The Broadway.
The Broadway241 m
Turn left onto The Crossway.
The Crossway118 m
Turn left onto The Stray.
The Stray234 m
Turn right onto Yarm Road/B6280.
Yarm Road548 m
Turn right onto Hundens Lane.
Hundens Lane632 m
Move left to stay on Hundens Lane.
Hundens Lane78 m
Turn left.
36 m
Turn left.
298 m
Turn left.
34 m
Turn right onto Hundens Lane.
Hundens Lane107 m
Turn right onto John Dixon Lane.
John Dixon Lane190 m
Turn left.
24 m
Turn right.
20 m
Make a right U-turn.
20 m
Turn left.
24 m
Turn right onto John Dixon Lane.
John Dixon Lane190 m
Turn left onto Hundens Lane.
Hundens Lane359 m
Move left to stay on Hundens Lane.
Hundens Lane400 m
Turn right onto Haughton Road/B6279. Continue on B6279.
B627976 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Haughton Road.
43 m
Exit the roundabout onto Haughton Road.
Haughton Road1.9 km
Move left onto Stockton Road.
Stockton Road30 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 4th exit towards Haughton Le Skerne.
103 m
Exit the roundabout towards Haughton Le Skerne.
Stockton Road36 m
Move left onto Haughton Road.
Haughton Road1.9 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit towards Town centre.
88 m
Exit the roundabout towards Town centre.
B6279990 m
Enter Freeman's Place Roundabout and take the 1st exit towards Northallerton/Barnard Castle/Yarm/A1(M) South.
Freeman's Place Roundabout3 m
Exit the roundabout towards Northallerton/Barnard Castle/Yarm/A1(M) South.
A167575 m
Enter Feethams Roundabout and take the 4th exit onto St Cuthberts Way/A167.
Feethams Roundabout173 m
Exit the roundabout onto St Cuthberts Way/A167.
St Cuthberts Way799 m
Enter Northgate Roundabout and take the 2nd exit towards Bishop Auckland.
Northgate Roundabout60 m
Exit the roundabout towards Bishop Auckland.
St Augustines Way319 m
Enter Bondgate roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto St Augustines Way/A68.
Bondgate roundabout51 m
Exit the roundabout onto St Augustines Way/A68.
St Augustines Way60 m
Turn left.
32 m
Turn right onto Archer Street.
Archer Street24 m
Turn left onto Upper Archer Street.
Upper Archer Street76 m
Turn left onto Four Riggs.
Four Riggs90 m
Turn left onto Bondgate/A68.
Bondgate72 m
Enter Bondgate roundabout and take the 3rd exit towards Bishop Auckland.
Bondgate roundabout54 m
Exit the roundabout towards Bishop Auckland.
A68543 m
Turn left onto Milbank Road.
Milbank Road378 m
Turn left onto Milbank Crescent.
Milbank Crescent87 m
Turn right onto Dale Road.
Dale Road160 m
Turn left onto Elton Road.
Elton Road1.2 km
Turn right onto Woodcrest Road.
Woodcrest Road238 m
Turn left onto Ravensdale Road.
Ravensdale Road80 m
Turn left onto Glenfield Road.
Glenfield Road161 m
Turn left onto Blackwell Lane.
Blackwell Lane174 m
Turn left onto Hartford Road.
Hartford Road241 m
Turn left onto Ravensdale Road.
Ravensdale Road294 m
Turn left onto Glenfield Road.
Glenfield Road161 m
Turn left onto Blackwell Lane.
Blackwell Lane174 m
Turn left onto Hartford Road.
Hartford Road95 m
Turn left onto Woodcrest Road.
Woodcrest Road238 m
Turn left onto Ravensdale Road.
Ravensdale Road311 m
Turn right onto Carmel Road South/A67.
Carmel Road South438 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 5th exit towards Yarm/Teesside/A1M(S).
89 m
Exit the roundabout towards Yarm/Teesside/A1M(S).
Carmel Road South1.2 km
Enter Blands Corner and take the 2nd exit towards Yarm/Teesside.
Blands Corner37 m
Exit the roundabout towards Yarm/Teesside.
A662.5 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit towards Teesside.
48 m
Exit the roundabout towards Teesside.
A662.8 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit towards The North/Teesside/Durham.
46 m
Exit the roundabout towards The North/Teesside/Durham.
A661.4 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A66.
67 m
Exit the roundabout onto A66.
A661.1 km
Enter Little Burdon Roundabout and take the 3rd exit towards The South/Scotch Corner.
Little Burdon Roundabout121 m
Exit the roundabout towards The South/Scotch Corner.
A661.1 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit towards A66 South.
71 m
Exit the roundabout towards A66 South.
A661.4 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Yarm Road/B6280.
79 m
Exit the roundabout onto Yarm Road/B6280.
Yarm Road166 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto B6280.
60 m
Exit the roundabout onto B6280.
B62801.0 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Yarm Road/B6280.
35 m
Exit the roundabout onto Yarm Road/B6280.
Yarm Road744 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Darlington · 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.
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 Little Burdon Roundabout. Get into the correct lane early and check your exit mirror before leaving.
Dual-carriageway join
About 13.3 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.
St Herbert's Church
Start near St Herbert's Church.
Wheatsheaf
Continue to Wheatsheaf.
Kwik Fit
Continue to Kwik Fit.
McDonald's
Continue to McDonald's.
Little Burdon Roundabout
Continue to Little Burdon Roundabout, taking the junction with good observation.
Shuttle & Loom
Continue to Shuttle & Loom.
Elmcroft
Continue to Elmcroft.
White Horse
Continue to White Horse.
Darlington Spiritualist Church
Continue to Darlington Spiritualist Church.
St Mark's Church
Continue to St Mark's Church.
Northgate United Reformed Church
Continue to Northgate United Reformed Church.
Sikh Gurudwara Sahib
Continue to Sikh Gurudwara Sahib.
Hundens Lane Day Hospital
Continue to Hundens Lane Day Hospital.
St Andrew's Church
Continue to St Andrew's Church.
Haughton Methodist Church
Continue to Haughton Methodist Church.
Highland Laddie
Continue to Highland Laddie.
Atisha Kapadampa Meditation Centre
Continue to Atisha Kapadampa Meditation Centre.
Holy Trinity
Continue to Holy Trinity.
All Saints' Church, Blackwell
Continue to All Saints' Church, Blackwell.
Blands Corner
Finish back near Blands Corner, completing the loop.
12 roundabouts · 10 turns · 3 sets of lights
12 roundabouts · 12 turns · 3 sets of lights
10 roundabouts · 10 turns · 2 sets of lights
11 roundabouts · 10 turns · 3 sets of lights
This route is 54.1 km and takes about 35 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Darlington test centre, not an official DVSA route.