Near Doncaster test centre
Rated demanding from its real manoeuvre load, 10 roundabouts, 18 turns and 5 signalled junctions across 31 navigation steps.
This is an independent 48.5 km practice route near Doncaster 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 Armthorpe Road Roundabout and White Rose Way. 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, churches, 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 Doncaster 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 154-step drive on real, named roads (about 50.7 km). An indicative practice loop, not an official DVSA route — the roads and junctions are real, the sequence is a rehearsal.
Drive south.
39 m
Turn right onto Shaw Wood Way.
Shaw Wood Way127 m
Turn left onto A18/Leger Way.
A18591 m
Keep right to stay on A18/Leger Way.
A18152 m
Keep right to stay on A18/Leger Way.
A18152 m
Enter Armthorpe Road Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A18/Leger Way.
Armthorpe Road Roundabout23 m
Exit the roundabout onto A18/Leger Way.
A182.0 km
Turn right onto Leicester Avenue.
Leicester Avenue181 m
Turn right onto Shaftesbury Avenue.
Shaftesbury Avenue585 m
Turn left onto Evelyn Avenue.
Evelyn Avenue73 m
Turn left onto Wolsey Avenue.
Wolsey Avenue205 m
Keep right to stay on Wolsey Avenue.
Wolsey Avenue102 m
Turn left onto Tudor Road.
Tudor Road73 m
Turn left onto Shaftesbury Avenue.
Shaftesbury Avenue304 m
Turn left onto Evelyn Avenue.
Evelyn Avenue377 m
Turn left onto Sandringham Road.
Sandringham Road393 m
Turn right onto Lakeen Road.
Lakeen Road224 m
Turn left onto Dunleary Road.
Dunleary Road175 m
Turn right onto Zetland Road.
Zetland Road236 m
Turn left onto Imperial Crescent.
Imperial Crescent90 m
Turn left onto Craithie Road.
Craithie Road58 m
Keep right to stay on Craithie Road.
Craithie Road259 m
Turn right onto Carisbrooke Road.
Carisbrooke Road47 m
Keep right to stay on Carisbrooke Road.
Carisbrooke Road95 m
Turn left onto Goldsborough Road.
Goldsborough Road70 m
Turn right onto Braemar Road.
Braemar Road87 m
Turn right onto Town Moor Avenue.
Town Moor Avenue387 m
Turn right onto Imperial Crescent.
Imperial Crescent161 m
Turn left onto Osborne Road.
Osborne Road238 m
Turn right to stay on Osborne Road.
Osborne Road24 m
Turn right onto Balmoral Road.
Balmoral Road227 m
Turn left onto Imperial Crescent.
Imperial Crescent90 m
Turn left onto Zetland Road.
Zetland Road329 m
Turn right onto Thorne Road.
Thorne Road1.6 km
Keep left to stay on Thorne Road.
Thorne Road149 m
Turn right onto Chestnut Avenue.
Chestnut Avenue110 m
Turn right onto The Grove.
The Grove181 m
Turn right onto Crossways.
Crossways111 m
Turn left onto Thorne Road.
Thorne Road1.9 km
Turn left onto Town Moor Avenue.
Town Moor Avenue712 m
Turn right onto Alderson Drive.
Alderson Drive314 m
Turn left onto Franklin Crescent.
Franklin Crescent168 m
Turn right onto Granby Crescent.
Granby Crescent173 m
Turn left onto Bennetthorpe.
Bennetthorpe321 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A18/Carr House Road.
112 m
Exit the roundabout onto A18/Carr House Road.
A181.5 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto A6182/White Rose Way.
3 m
Exit the roundabout onto A6182/White Rose Way.
A6182615 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A6182/White Rose Way.
51 m
Exit the roundabout onto A6182/White Rose Way.
A6182325 m
Keep right to stay on A6182/White Rose Way.
A6182124 m
Keep straight to stay on A6182/White Rose Way.
A6182621 m
Move left.
42 m
Take the exit.
35 m
Move left onto Wilmington Drive.
Wilmington Drive198 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Lakeside Boulevard.
86 m
Exit the roundabout onto Lakeside Boulevard.
Lakeside Boulevard366 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit.
36 m
Exit the roundabout.
136 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Lakeside Boulevard.
34 m
Exit the roundabout onto Lakeside Boulevard.
Lakeside Boulevard484 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Gliwice Way.
87 m
Exit the roundabout onto Gliwice Way.
Gliwice Way414 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Gliwice Way.
32 m
Exit the roundabout onto Gliwice Way.
Gliwice Way294 m
Turn right onto A638/Bawtry Road.
A638689 m
Keep left to take B1396.
B13961.4 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Cantley Lane/B1396.
46 m
Exit the roundabout onto Cantley Lane/B1396.
Cantley Lane1.3 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Doncaster Road/B1396.
24 m
Exit the roundabout onto Doncaster Road/B1396.
Doncaster Road1.4 km
Keep straight to stay on B1396.
B1396429 m
Turn left onto Whiphill Top Lane.
Whiphill Top Lane195 m
Turn left to stay on Whiphill Top Lane.
Whiphill Top Lane100 m
Turn right onto Doncaster Road/B1396. Continue on B1396.
B1396784 m
Keep left to stay on B1396.
B1396274 m
Keep left to stay on B1396.
B1396540 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Cantley Lane/B1396.
27 m
Exit the roundabout onto Cantley Lane/B1396.
Cantley Lane1.3 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Cantley Lane/B1396.
46 m
Exit the roundabout onto Cantley Lane/B1396.
Cantley Lane1.3 km
Turn right onto A638/Bawtry Road.
A6381.3 km
Keep left to stay on Bawtry Road.
Bawtry Road134 m
Move left onto A18/Carr House Road.
A181.5 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto A6182/White Rose Way.
3 m
Exit the roundabout onto A6182/White Rose Way.
A6182615 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 5th exit onto A6182/White Rose Way.
149 m
Exit the roundabout onto A6182/White Rose Way.
A6182412 m
Move left onto Ten Pound Walk.
Ten Pound Walk54 m
Turn right onto Carr Lane.
Carr Lane123 m
Turn right.
99 m
Turn right.
9 m
Turn right.
29 m
Turn left onto Carr Lane.
Carr Lane50 m
Turn left onto Ten Pound Walk.
Ten Pound Walk50 m
Turn left onto A6182/White Rose Way.
A6182159 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto A18/Carr House Road.
4 m
Exit the roundabout onto A18/Carr House Road.
A18578 m
Move left onto A630/Balby Flyover. Continue on A630.
A630347 m
Turn left onto Belmont Avenue.
Belmont Avenue224 m
Turn right onto St. Catherine's Avenue.
St. Catherine's Avenue346 m
Turn right onto Balby Carr Bank.
Balby Carr Bank232 m
Turn right onto Balby Road/A630. Continue on A630.
A630527 m
Keep right to take Balby Flyover/A630.
Balby Flyover58 m
Keep right to stay on Balby Flyover/A630.
Balby Flyover100 m
Keep right to take A18.
A18642 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 4th exit onto A18/Carr House Road.
120 m
Exit the roundabout onto A18/Carr House Road.
A18378 m
Keep left to take Green Dyke Lane.
Green Dyke Lane41 m
Keep left to stay on Green Dyke Lane.
Green Dyke Lane168 m
Turn right onto Kelham Street.
Kelham Street24 m
Turn left onto A630/Balby Flyover.
A63063 m
Turn right to stay on A630/Balby Flyover.
A63090 m
Move right onto A18/Balby Flyover. Continue on A18.
A18642 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto A638/Trafford Way.
5 m
Exit the roundabout onto A638/Trafford Way.
A638290 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto College Road.
34 m
Exit the roundabout onto College Road.
College Road11 m
Keep left to stay on College Road.
College Road26 m
Move left to stay on College Road.
College Road149 m
Turn right onto Waterdale.
Waterdale16 m
Turn left onto College Road.
College Road162 m
Turn left onto Cleveland Street.
Cleveland Street78 m
Enter Cleveland Street Roundabout and take the 1st exit onto A638/Trafford Way.
Cleveland Street Roundabout6 m
Exit the roundabout onto A638/Trafford Way.
A638318 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto College Road.
2 m
Exit the roundabout onto College Road.
College Road22 m
Keep left to stay on College Road.
College Road384 m
Turn left onto Chequer Road.
Chequer Road130 m
Turn left onto Waterdale.
Waterdale128 m
Turn right onto Horse Fair Green.
Horse Fair Green121 m
Turn right onto Wood Street.
Wood Street168 m
Move right onto Waterdale.
Waterdale65 m
Keep right to take South Parade.
South Parade1.3 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A18/Carr House Road.
112 m
Exit the roundabout onto A18/Carr House Road.
A18961 m
Make a right U-turn at Stockil Road to stay on A18/Carr House Road.
A18955 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A18/Leger Way.
50 m
Exit the roundabout onto A18/Leger Way.
A182.6 km
Enter Armthorpe Road Roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Armthorpe Road.
Armthorpe Road Roundabout3 m
Exit the roundabout onto Armthorpe Road.
Armthorpe Road660 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Sandringham Road.
14 m
Exit the roundabout onto Sandringham Road.
Sandringham Road86 m
Turn left onto Cornwall Road.
Cornwall Road160 m
Turn left onto Westminster Crescent.
Westminster Crescent583 m
Turn right onto Lothian Road.
Lothian Road2 m
Turn left onto Westminster Crescent.
Westminster Crescent168 m
Turn left onto Cheltenham Road.
Cheltenham Road127 m
Make a sharp right onto A18/Leger Way.
A181.8 km
Turn right onto Sandringham Road.
Sandringham Road291 m
Turn right onto Tudor Road.
Tudor Road57 m
Keep left to stay on Tudor Road.
Tudor Road237 m
Turn left onto Shaftesbury Avenue.
Shaftesbury Avenue32 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Doncaster · Route 2 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.
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 Armthorpe Road Roundabout. Get into the correct lane early and check your exit mirror before leaving.
Dual-carriageway join
About 16.9 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 (30, 40, 50, 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.
Armthorpe Road Roundabout
Start near Armthorpe Road Roundabout.
Doncaster Fire Station
Continue to Doncaster Fire Station.
All Saints
Continue to All Saints.
Sainsbury's Local
Continue to Sainsbury's Local.
Park Hotel
Continue to Park Hotel.
One Stop
Continue to One Stop.
White Rose Way
Continue to White Rose Way, taking the junction with good observation.
B&M Home Store with Garden Centre
Continue to B&M Home Store with Garden Centre.
McDonald's
Continue to McDonald's.
Burger King
Continue to Burger King.
Bessacarr Newsagents
Continue to Bessacarr Newsagents.
Local
Continue to Local.
Co-op Food
Continue to Co-op Food.
Londis
Continue to Londis.
National Progressive Spiritualist Church
Continue to National Progressive Spiritualist Church.
National Spiritualist Church
Continue to National Spiritualist Church.
Doncaster Comrades of the Great War Social Club
Continue to Doncaster Comrades of the Great War Social Club.
Salutation
Continue to Salutation.
Don Valley Cycles
Continue to Don Valley Cycles.
Lonsdale
Finish back near Lonsdale, completing the loop.
10 roundabouts · 16 turns · 9 sets of lights
9 roundabouts · 12 turns · 5 sets of lights
6 roundabouts · 12 turns · 3 sets of lights
4 roundabouts · 18 turns · 6 sets of lights
This route is 48.5 km and takes about 45 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Doncaster test centre, not an official DVSA route.