Near Dorchester test centre
Rated challenging from its real manoeuvre load, 10 roundabouts, 17 turns and 1 signalled junction across 32 navigation steps.
This is an independent 25.0 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 Monkey's Jump Roundabout, Stadium Roundabout, Max Gate Roundabout and Bridport Road. 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 shops, 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 97-step drive on real, named roads (about 25.0 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. Continue on Kings Road.
Kings Road599 m
Turn right onto Icen Way.
Icen Way285 m
Move left onto South Walks Road.
South Walks Road17 m
Turn right.
14 m
Turn left onto Icen Way.
Icen Way290 m
Turn left onto Durngate Street.
Durngate Street82 m
Turn left onto Acland Road.
Acland Road178 m
Turn left onto Wollaston Road.
Wollaston Road152 m
Turn right onto Icen Way.
Icen Way133 m
Turn left onto South Walks Road.
South Walks Road159 m
Turn left.
52 m
Turn left onto High Street Fordington.
High Street Fordington344 m
Turn right to stay on High Street Fordington.
High Street Fordington29 m
Turn left onto High East Street/B3150. Continue on B3150.
B3150615 m
Enter Top O'Town Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Bridport Road/B3150.
Top O'Town Roundabout21 m
Exit the roundabout onto Bridport Road/B3150.
Bridport Road1.1 km
Turn right onto Whitfield Road.
Whitfield Road85 m
Turn right onto Wessex Road.
Wessex Road444 m
Move right onto Poundbury Crescent.
Poundbury Crescent116 m
Turn right onto Bridport Road/B3150.
Bridport Road497 m
Turn right onto Whitfield Road.
Whitfield Road85 m
Turn right onto Wessex Road.
Wessex Road161 m
Turn left onto Wessex Way.
Wessex Way112 m
Turn left onto Poundbury Crescent.
Poundbury Crescent207 m
Turn right onto Wessex Road.
Wessex Road39 m
Turn left onto Whitfield Road.
Whitfield Road85 m
Turn left onto Bridport Road/B3150.
Bridport Road127 m
Move right onto Damers Road/B3144.
Damers Road317 m
Turn left onto Gloucester Road.
Gloucester Road150 m
Turn left onto Bridport Road/B3150.
Bridport Road511 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Middlemarsh Street.
8 m
Exit the roundabout onto Middlemarsh Street.
Middlemarsh Street48 m
Turn left.
65 m
Make a right U-turn.
65 m
Turn right onto Middlemarsh Street.
Middlemarsh Street48 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Bridport Road/B3150.
54 m
Exit the roundabout onto Bridport Road/B3150.
Bridport Road207 m
Move right onto Damers Road/B3144.
Damers Road219 m
Turn right onto Windsor Road.
Windsor Road348 m
Turn left onto Coburg Road.
Coburg Road431 m
Turn left onto Maud Road.
Maud Road157 m
Turn left onto Cambridge Road.
Cambridge Road621 m
Turn left onto Baynard's Road.
Baynard's Road181 m
Turn left onto Coburg Road.
Coburg Road178 m
Turn left onto Windsor Road.
Windsor Road168 m
Turn right onto Cambridge Road.
Cambridge Road81 m
Turn left onto Marie Road.
Marie Road173 m
Turn right onto Damers Road/B3144.
Damers Road11 m
Turn left onto Gloucester Road.
Gloucester Road150 m
Turn left onto Bridport Road/B3150.
Bridport Road511 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Bridport Road/B3150.
24 m
Exit the roundabout onto Bridport Road/B3150.
Bridport Road77 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Middle Farm Way/B3150.
7 m
Exit the roundabout onto Middle Farm Way/B3150.
Middle Farm Way1.0 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 4th exit onto Middle Farm Way/B3150.
89 m
Exit the roundabout onto Middle Farm Way/B3150.
Middle Farm Way981 m
Turn left.
18 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Bridport Road/B3150.
41 m
Exit the roundabout onto Bridport Road/B3150.
Bridport Road79 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Bridport Road/B3150.
21 m
Exit the roundabout onto Bridport Road/B3150.
Bridport Road1.2 km
Enter Top O'Town Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto High West Street/B3150.
Top O'Town Roundabout29 m
Exit the roundabout onto High West Street/B3150.
High West Street125 m
Turn right onto Alington Street.
Alington Street67 m
Turn left onto Prince's Street.
Prince's Street118 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.
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 Crescent165 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Dorchester · Route 5 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.
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 Monkey's Jump Roundabout, Stadium Roundabout, Max Gate Roundabout. Get into the correct lane early and check your exit mirror before leaving.
Dual-carriageway join
About 4.3 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, 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.
Monkey's Jump Roundabout
Start near Monkey's Jump Roundabout.
Stadium Roundabout
Continue to Stadium Roundabout, taking the junction with good observation.
Max Gate Roundabout
Continue to Max Gate 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.
Fordington German Prisoners of War Memorial
Continue to Fordington German Prisoners of War Memorial.
Waitrose
Continue to Waitrose.
St George
Continue to St George.
All Saints Church
Continue to All Saints Church.
Dorchester Baptist Church
Continue to Dorchester Baptist Church.
Sydney Arms
Continue to Sydney Arms.
Bridport Road
Continue to Bridport Road, taking the junction with good observation.
Dorchester Middle School
Continue to Dorchester Middle School.
Storehouse Church
Continue to Storehouse Church.
Pure
Continue to Pure.
DD Computers
Continue to DD Computers.
One Stop
Continue to One Stop.
Kensington Walk Park
Finish back near Kensington Walk Park, 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 25.0 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.