Near Dorchester test centre
Rated moderate from its real manoeuvre load, 5 roundabouts, 21 turns and 1 signalled junction across 29 navigation steps.
This is an independent 42.9 km practice route near Dorchester 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 Stadium Roundabout, Max Gate Roundabout, Top O'Town Roundabout, Monkey's Jump Roundabout and Weirs 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 named junctions, pubs, churches and stations, 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 Dorchester 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 102-step drive on real, named roads (about 42.8 km). An indicative practice loop, not an official DVSA route — the roads and junctions are real, the sequence is a rehearsal.
Drive southeast.
17 m
Turn right onto Peverell Avenue West.
Peverell Avenue West103 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Bridport Road/B3150.
63 m
Exit the roundabout onto Bridport Road/B3150.
Bridport Road106 m
Enter Monkey's Jump Roundabout and take the 1st exit onto A35/Dorchester Bypass.
Monkey's Jump Roundabout3 m
Exit the roundabout onto A35/Dorchester Bypass.
A352.3 km
Enter Stadium Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A35/Dorchester Bypass.
Stadium Roundabout35 m
Exit the roundabout onto A35/Dorchester Bypass.
A352.0 km
Turn right onto A352.
A352259 m
Enter Max Gate Roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Alington Avenue/B3144.
Max Gate Roundabout3 m
Exit the roundabout onto Alington Avenue/B3144.
Alington Avenue253 m
Move left.
21 m
Enter Fordington Fields Roundabout and take the 2nd exit.
Fordington Fields Roundabout25 m
Exit the roundabout.
32 m
Move left onto Alington Road/B3144. Continue on B3144.
B3144322 m
Move right onto Athelstan Road.
Athelstan Road115 m
Turn left onto Kings Road.
Kings Road109 m
Move right onto Prince of Wales Road/B3144.
Prince of Wales Road702 m
Turn left onto South Walks Road/B3144.
South Walks Road16 m
Turn right onto Trinity Street.
Trinity Street346 m
Turn left onto Prince's Street.
Prince's Street247 m
Move left onto Albert Road/B3147.
Albert Road106 m
Turn left onto Cornwall Road/B3147.
Cornwall Road275 m
Turn left onto Great Western Road/B3144.
Great Western Road233 m
Turn left onto Weymouth Avenue/B3144. Continue on B3144.
B314439 m
Turn right onto Prince of Wales Road/B3144.
Prince of Wales Road304 m
Move left onto York Road.
York Road144 m
Turn left onto Culliford Road North.
Culliford Road North168 m
Turn right onto South Walks Road.
South Walks Road31 m
Turn left.
14 m
Move right onto South Walks Road.
South Walks Road194 m
Turn right onto Duke's Avenue.
Duke's Avenue153 m
Turn right onto Icen Way.
Icen Way128 m
Move left onto South Walks Road.
South Walks Road17 m
Turn right.
14 m
Turn left onto Icen Way.
Icen Way384 m
Turn left onto High East Street/B3150. Continue on B3150.
B3150515 m
Enter Top O'Town Roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto The Grove/B3147.
Top O'Town Roundabout40 m
Exit the roundabout onto The Grove/B3147. Continue on B3147.
B31471.7 km
Enter Weirs Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A37.
Weirs Roundabout32 m
Exit the roundabout onto A37.
A37610 m
Turn right onto North Street/A352.
North Street423 m
Turn right onto West Hill.
West Hill62 m
Turn left to stay on West Hill.
West Hill331 m
Turn left onto Vicarage Lane.
Vicarage Lane275 m
Turn right onto Cocklands.
Cocklands337 m
Turn right.
97 m
Move right onto East Hill.
East Hill57 m
Turn left to stay on East Hill.
East Hill331 m
Turn right onto West Hill.
West Hill62 m
Turn right onto North Street/A352.
North Street856 m
Turn left onto Drake's Lane.
Drake's Lane561 m
Turn right onto Sodern Lane.
Sodern Lane493 m
Turn left onto A37.
A371.6 km
Enter Weirs Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto B3147.
Weirs Roundabout9 m
Exit the roundabout onto B3147.
B31471.7 km
Enter Top O'Town Roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Bridport Road/B3150.
Top O'Town Roundabout32 m
Exit the roundabout onto Bridport Road/B3150.
Bridport Road1.2 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 4th exit onto Bridport Road/B3150.
62 m
Exit the roundabout onto Bridport Road/B3150.
Bridport Road859 m
Turn right onto Williams Avenue.
Williams Avenue355 m
Turn right onto Damers Road/B3144.
Damers Road167 m
Turn left onto Maud Road.
Maud Road519 m
Turn right onto Treves Road.
Treves Road124 m
Turn left onto Florence Road.
Florence Road113 m
Turn left onto Garfield Avenue.
Garfield Avenue125 m
Turn left onto Clarence Road.
Clarence Road186 m
Turn left onto Queen's Avenue.
Queen's Avenue409 m
Make a right U-turn at Queen's Avenue to stay on Queen's Avenue.
Queen's Avenue45 m
Turn left to stay on Queen's Avenue.
Queen's Avenue390 m
Turn right onto Clarence Road.
Clarence Road259 m
Turn right onto Maiden Castle Road.
Maiden Castle Road495 m
Turn left onto Celtic Crescent.
Celtic Crescent589 m
Turn left onto Cunnington Close.
Cunnington Close111 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Cunnington Close.
Cunnington Close111 m
Turn right onto Celtic Crescent.
Celtic Crescent588 m
Turn right onto Maiden Castle Road.
Maiden Castle Road784 m
Turn right onto Weymouth Avenue/B3147.
Weymouth Avenue441 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Weymouth Road/B3147.
24 m
Exit the roundabout onto Weymouth Road/B3147. Continue on B3147.
B3147238 m
Enter Stadium Roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A35/Dorchester Bypass.
Stadium Roundabout73 m
Exit the roundabout onto A35/Dorchester Bypass.
A352.3 km
Enter Monkey's Jump Roundabout and take the 1st exit.
Monkey's Jump Roundabout8 m
Exit the roundabout.
2.3 km
Turn left onto Weymouth Road/B3159.
Weymouth Road1.3 km
Make a sharp left.
131 m
Turn left.
174 m
Move right onto Weymouth Road/B3159.
Weymouth Road1.0 km
Turn right.
2.2 km
Move left.
29 m
Enter Monkey's Jump Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A37/Dorchester Bypass.
Monkey's Jump Roundabout37 m
Exit the roundabout onto A37/Dorchester Bypass.
A371.9 km
Enter Weirs Roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto B3147.
Weirs Roundabout36 m
Exit the roundabout onto B3147.
B31471.7 km
Enter Top O'Town Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Albert Road/B3147.
Top O'Town Roundabout24 m
Exit the roundabout onto Albert Road/B3147.
Albert Road70 m
Turn left onto Prince's Street.
Prince's Street246 m
Turn left onto Trinity Street.
Trinity Street62 m
Turn right onto High West Street/B3150. Continue on B3150.
B3150835 m
Turn right onto Kings Road/B3143. Continue on Kings Road.
Kings Road673 m
Turn left onto Athelstan Road.
Athelstan Road61 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Dorchester · Route 15 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.
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 Stadium Roundabout, Max Gate Roundabout, Top O'Town Roundabout. Get into the correct lane early and check your exit mirror before leaving.
Dual-carriageway join
About 10.9 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 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.
Stadium Roundabout
Start near Stadium Roundabout.
Max Gate Roundabout
Continue to Max Gate Roundabout, taking the junction with good observation.
George
Continue to George.
Convivial Rabbit
Continue to Convivial Rabbit.
Dorchester Trinity Club
Continue to Dorchester Trinity Club.
All Saints Church
Continue to All Saints Church.
St Peter's Church
Continue to St Peter's Church.
Top O'Town Roundabout
Continue to Top O'Town Roundabout, taking the junction with good observation.
St Mary the Virgin
Continue to St Mary the Virgin.
Gamekeeper
Continue to Gamekeeper.
Dorchester Baptist Church
Continue to Dorchester Baptist Church.
Dorchester West
Continue to Dorchester West.
Dorchester Middle School
Continue to Dorchester Middle School.
Storehouse Church
Continue to Storehouse Church.
Fortress Green
Continue to Fortress Green.
Dorchester Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses
Continue to Dorchester Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses.
Monkey's Jump Roundabout
Continue to Monkey's Jump Roundabout, taking the junction with good observation.
Weirs Roundabout
Continue to Weirs Roundabout, taking the junction with good observation.
Holy Trinity Catholic Church
Continue to Holy Trinity Catholic Church.
One Stop
Finish back near One Stop, completing the loop.
8 roundabouts · 12 turns · 4 sets of lights
11 roundabouts · 17 turns · 1 set of lights
8 roundabouts · 14 turns · 3 sets of lights
7 roundabouts · 20 turns
This route is 42.9 km and takes about 40 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Dorchester test centre, not an official DVSA route.