Near Dorchester test centre
Rated challenging from its real manoeuvre load, 6 roundabouts, 22 turns and 1 signalled junction across 35 navigation steps.
This is an independent 44.3 km practice route near Dorchester 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 Stadium Roundabout, Fordington Fields Roundabout, Max Gate Roundabout and Monkey's Jump 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 parks, 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 105-step drive on real, named roads (about 44.3 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 Street118 m
Turn right onto Alington Street.
Alington Street67 m
Turn right onto High West Street/B3150. Continue on B3150.
B3150954 m
Turn right onto Kings Road/B3143.
Kings Road450 m
Turn left onto Alington Road/B3143. Continue on Alington Road.
Alington Road485 m
Move left.
29 m
Enter Fordington Fields Roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Buckingham Way.
Fordington Fields Roundabout34 m
Exit the roundabout onto Buckingham Way.
Buckingham Way427 m
Turn right onto Balmoral Crescent.
Balmoral Crescent447 m
Turn right onto Buckingham Way.
Buckingham Way337 m
Turn right onto Balmoral Crescent.
Balmoral Crescent447 m
Turn left onto Buckingham Way.
Buckingham Way60 m
Move left.
26 m
Enter Fordington Fields Roundabout and take the 3rd exit.
Fordington Fields Roundabout37 m
Exit the roundabout.
23 m
Move left onto Alington Avenue/B3144.
Alington Avenue250 m
Enter Max Gate Roundabout and take the 4th exit onto A352.
Max Gate Roundabout32 m
Exit the roundabout onto A352.
A352261 m
Turn left onto A35/Dorchester Bypass.
A352.0 km
Enter Stadium Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A35/Dorchester Bypass.
Stadium Roundabout38 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 Road1.0 km
Move left.
174 m
Turn left.
212 m
Move right.
1.7 km
Turn left.
340 m
Turn left onto A354/Monkton Hill.
A354171 m
Turn right.
843 m
Turn left onto Herringston Road.
Herringston Road1.5 km
Turn left onto Maumbury Road.
Maumbury Road546 m
Move left onto Damers Road/B3144.
Damers Road670 m
Turn left onto Marie Road.
Marie Road173 m
Turn right onto Cambridge Road.
Cambridge Road81 m
Turn right onto Windsor Road.
Windsor Road180 m
Turn left onto Damers Road/B3144.
Damers Road219 m
Move left onto Bridport Road/B3150.
Bridport Road127 m
Turn right onto Whitfield Road.
Whitfield Road85 m
Turn right onto Wessex Road.
Wessex Road444 m
Turn left onto Poundbury Crescent.
Poundbury Crescent284 m
Turn right onto Cedar Road.
Cedar Road91 m
Turn right onto Chestnut Way.
Chestnut Way170 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Chestnut Way.
Chestnut Way200 m
Turn right onto Normandy Way.
Normandy Way300 m
Turn right onto Poundbury Road.
Poundbury Road1.4 km
Turn left onto Upper Fairfield Road.
Upper Fairfield Road75 m
Turn left onto Weymouth Avenue.
Weymouth Avenue287 m
Turn left onto Great Western Road/B3144.
Great Western Road233 m
Turn left onto Maumbury Road/B3147.
Maumbury Road64 m
Turn left onto Fairfield Road.
Fairfield Road82 m
Turn left.
13 m
Turn left.
83 m
Turn right onto Fairfield Road.
Fairfield Road8 m
Turn left onto Maumbury Road/B3147.
Maumbury Road282 m
Move right onto Weymouth Avenue/B3147.
Weymouth Avenue720 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 Road1.0 km
Move left.
174 m
Turn left.
212 m
Move right.
1.7 km
Turn left.
340 m
Turn left onto A354/Monkton Hill.
A3541.1 km
Enter Stadium Roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A35/Dorchester Bypass.
Stadium Roundabout70 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 Alington Road.
Alington Road485 m
Turn right onto Kings Road/B3143.
Kings Road217 m
Turn left onto Mill Street.
Mill Street18 m
Turn left onto Holloway Road.
Holloway Road191 m
Move left onto Pound Lane.
Pound Lane92 m
Turn left onto High Street Fordington.
High Street Fordington273 m
Turn right onto Kings Road.
Kings Road223 m
Turn left onto Athelstan Road.
Athelstan Road61 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Dorchester · Route 18 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.
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, Fordington Fields Roundabout, Max Gate Roundabout. Get into the correct lane early and check your exit mirror before leaving.
Dual-carriageway join
About 14.3 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 (20, 30, 40, 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.
Fordington Fields Roundabout
Continue to Fordington Fields Roundabout, taking the junction with good observation.
Dorchester Trinity Club
Continue to Dorchester Trinity Club.
George
Continue to George.
Holy Trinity Catholic Church
Continue to Holy Trinity Catholic Church.
St Peter's Church
Continue to St Peter's Church.
Kensington Walk Park
Continue to Kensington Walk Park.
One Stop
Continue to One Stop.
Max Gate Roundabout
Continue to Max Gate Roundabout, taking the junction with good observation.
McDonald's
Continue to McDonald's.
Monkey's Jump Roundabout
Continue to Monkey's Jump Roundabout, taking the junction with good observation.
ATS Dorchester
Continue to ATS Dorchester.
Dorchester West
Continue to Dorchester West.
Domestic Appliance Centre
Continue to Domestic Appliance Centre.
Brewhouse and Kitchen
Continue to Brewhouse and Kitchen.
Currys
Continue to Currys.
Maiden Castle Garage
Continue to Maiden Castle Garage.
Dorchester Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses
Continue to Dorchester Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses.
KFC
Continue to KFC.
St George
Finish back near St George, 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 44.3 km and takes about 45 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Dorchester test centre, not an official DVSA route.