Near Dundee test centre
Rated moderate from its real manoeuvre load, 8 roundabouts, 12 turns and 3 signalled junctions across 22 navigation steps.
This is an independent 41.5 km practice route near Dundee test centre, taking roughly 30 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 Kingsway West, MacAlpine Road, Strathmartine Road, Strathmartine Roundabout and Old Glamis 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, 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, shops, churches 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 Dundee 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 129-step drive on real, named roads (about 41.5 km). An indicative practice loop, not an official DVSA route — the roads and junctions are real, the sequence is a rehearsal.
Drive west.
7 m
Turn right.
19 m
Turn right onto Kilspindie Place.
Kilspindie Place111 m
Turn left onto Kilspindie Road.
Kilspindie Road132 m
Turn right onto Dunsinane Avenue.
Dunsinane Avenue297 m
Turn left onto King's Cross Road.
King's Cross Road175 m
Enter Kingsway West and take the 2nd exit onto MacAlpine Road.
Kingsway West135 m
Exit the roundabout onto MacAlpine Road.
MacAlpine Road254 m
Turn left onto Rosemount Road.
Rosemount Road224 m
Turn left onto Telford Road.
Telford Road111 m
Turn right onto Faraday Street.
Faraday Street664 m
Turn right onto Harrison Road.
Harrison Road296 m
Turn right onto Rosemount Road.
Rosemount Road701 m
Turn left onto Staffa Place.
Staffa Place125 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Staffa Place.
Staffa Place125 m
Turn left onto Rosemount Road.
Rosemount Road282 m
Turn left onto MacAlpine Road.
MacAlpine Road333 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto MacAlpine Road.
20 m
Exit the roundabout onto MacAlpine Road.
MacAlpine Road169 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto MacAlpine Road.
24 m
Exit the roundabout onto MacAlpine Road.
MacAlpine Road428 m
Turn left onto St Fillans Place.
St Fillans Place170 m
Turn left onto St Fillans Road.
St Fillans Road101 m
Turn right onto MacAlpine Road.
MacAlpine Road343 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Americanmuir Road.
15 m
Exit the roundabout onto Americanmuir Road.
Americanmuir Road667 m
Turn right onto Frederick Street.
Frederick Street172 m
Turn left onto Camperdown Road.
Camperdown Road182 m
Turn left onto Strathmartine Road.
Strathmartine Road639 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Strathmartine Road.
65 m
Exit the roundabout onto Strathmartine Road.
Strathmartine Road182 m
Turn right onto Cox Street.
Cox Street45 m
Turn left onto Strathmartine Road.
Strathmartine Road48 m
Turn left to stay on Strathmartine Road.
Strathmartine Road233 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Strathmartine Road.
54 m
Exit the roundabout onto Strathmartine Road.
Strathmartine Road1.0 km
Enter Strathmartine Roundabout and take the 4th exit onto Strathmartine Road.
Strathmartine Roundabout116 m
Exit the roundabout onto Strathmartine Road.
Strathmartine Road1.0 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Strathmartine Road.
65 m
Exit the roundabout onto Strathmartine Road.
Strathmartine Road182 m
Turn right onto Cox Street.
Cox Street45 m
Turn right onto Strathmartine Road.
Strathmartine Road34 m
Turn left onto Loftus Street.
Loftus Street52 m
Turn left onto Loftus Road.
Loftus Road261 m
Turn left onto Baldovan Road.
Baldovan Road87 m
Turn left onto Harestane Road.
Harestane Road358 m
Turn left onto Strathmartine Road.
Strathmartine Road403 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Strathmartine Road.
54 m
Exit the roundabout onto Strathmartine Road.
Strathmartine Road1.0 km
Enter Strathmartine Roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A90/Kingsway West.
Strathmartine Roundabout87 m
Exit the roundabout onto A90/Kingsway West.
A902.5 km
Take the exit.
Liff Road757 m
Turn right onto South Road.
South Road261 m
Turn left to stay on South Road.
South Road22 m
Turn left onto Arran Drive.
Arran Drive408 m
Move left onto Charleston Drive.
Charleston Drive245 m
Turn right onto Elmwood Road.
Elmwood Road479 m
Turn right onto Glamis Road.
Glamis Road196 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Glamis Road.
14 m
Exit the roundabout onto Glamis Road.
Glamis Road444 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Blackness Road.
25 m
Exit the roundabout onto Blackness Road.
Blackness Road1.2 km
Turn left onto Balgay Road.
Balgay Road211 m
Move right onto Pentland Avenue.
Pentland Avenue491 m
Move left onto City Road.
City Road198 m
Turn right onto Tullideph Road.
Tullideph Road188 m
Turn right onto Lochee Road/A923.
Lochee Road1.2 km
Enter Dudhope Roundabout and take the 1st exit onto North Marketgait/A991.
Dudhope Roundabout71 m
Exit the roundabout onto North Marketgait/A991.
North Marketgait337 m
Keep left to stay on North Marketgait/A991.
North Marketgait55 m
Enter Ladywell Roundabout and take the 1st exit onto North Marketgait/A991.
Ladywell Roundabout13 m
Exit the roundabout onto North Marketgait/A991.
North Marketgait568 m
Enter East Port Roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Blackscroft.
East Port Roundabout16 m
Exit the roundabout onto Blackscroft.
Blackscroft1.1 km
Turn right onto Forfar Road/A929.
Forfar Road849 m
Move left to stay on Forfar Road/A929.
Forfar Road32 m
Move left onto A972/Kingsway East.
A9721.4 km
Enter Old Glamis Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A90/Kingsway.
Old Glamis Roundabout32 m
Exit the roundabout onto A90/Kingsway.
A90615 m
Turn left onto Muirfield Road.
Muirfield Road327 m
Turn left onto Muirfield Place.
Muirfield Place123 m
Turn left onto Muirfield Crescent.
Muirfield Crescent126 m
Turn left onto Strathmartine Road.
Strathmartine Road472 m
Enter Strathmartine Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Strathmartine Road.
Strathmartine Roundabout56 m
Exit the roundabout onto Strathmartine Road.
Strathmartine Road394 m
Turn right onto Gillburn Road.
Gillburn Road1.1 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Old Glamis Road.
91 m
Exit the roundabout onto Old Glamis Road.
Old Glamis Road438 m
Enter Old Glamis Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Old Glamis Road.
Old Glamis Roundabout38 m
Exit the roundabout onto Old Glamis Road.
Old Glamis Road585 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Clepington Road.
15 m
Exit the roundabout onto Clepington Road.
Clepington Road333 m
Turn right onto Hindmarsh Avenue.
Hindmarsh Avenue21 m
Turn right to stay on Hindmarsh Avenue.
Hindmarsh Avenue46 m
Turn left onto Clepington Road.
Clepington Road300 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Clepington Road.
4 m
Exit the roundabout onto Clepington Road.
Clepington Road1.1 km
Turn left onto Johnston Avenue.
Johnston Avenue561 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Strathmore Avenue.
35 m
Exit the roundabout onto Strathmore Avenue.
Strathmore Avenue590 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Harefield Road.
58 m
Exit the roundabout onto Harefield Road.
Harefield Road138 m
Turn left onto King's Cross Road.
King's Cross Road777 m
Enter Kingsway West and take the 5th exit onto Kingscross Road.
Kingsway West365 m
Exit the roundabout onto Kingscross Road.
Kingscross Road380 m
Turn left.
65 m
Turn left.
25 m
Turn left.
78 m
Turn right onto King's Cross Road.
King's Cross Road342 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A90/Kingsway West.
201 m
Exit the roundabout onto A90/Kingsway West.
A90718 m
Enter Strathmartine Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A90/Kingsway.
Strathmartine Roundabout39 m
Exit the roundabout onto A90/Kingsway.
A90809 m
Enter Old Glamis Roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Old Glamis Road.
Old Glamis Roundabout67 m
Exit the roundabout onto Old Glamis Road.
Old Glamis Road287 m
Turn left onto Barnes Avenue.
Barnes Avenue454 m
Turn left onto Graham Street.
Graham Street287 m
Turn left onto A90/Kingsway.
A90443 m
Enter Old Glamis Roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Old Glamis Road.
Old Glamis Roundabout5 m
Exit the roundabout onto Old Glamis Road.
Old Glamis Road585 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Clepington Road.
38 m
Exit the roundabout onto Clepington Road.
Clepington Road10 m
Move left onto Caird Avenue.
Caird Avenue358 m
Enter Dens Road and take the 3rd exit onto Strathmore Avenue.
Dens Road38 m
Exit the roundabout onto Strathmore Avenue.
Strathmore Avenue817 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Brantwood Avenue.
9 m
Exit the roundabout onto Brantwood Avenue.
Brantwood Avenue841 m
Turn left onto Coupar Street.
Coupar Street130 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Dundee · Route 8 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 Strathmartine Roundabout, Old Glamis Roundabout. Get into the correct lane early and check your exit mirror before leaving.
Dual-carriageway join
About 6.7 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 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.
Kingsway West
Start near Kingsway West.
MacAlpine Road
Continue to MacAlpine Road, taking the junction with good observation.
Strathmartine Road
Continue to Strathmartine Road, taking the junction with good observation.
Strathmartine Roundabout
Continue to Strathmartine Roundabout, taking the junction with good observation.
Burger King
Continue to Burger King.
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Continue to Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Charleston Bar
Continue to Charleston Bar.
Victoria Gardens
Continue to Victoria Gardens.
City Church Dundee
Continue to City Church Dundee.
Friary
Continue to Friary.
Elim Pentecostal Church
Continue to Elim Pentecostal Church.
St Mary Magdalene's Church
Continue to St Mary Magdalene's Church.
Stobswell Parish Church
Continue to Stobswell Parish Church.
Old Glamis Roundabout
Continue to Old Glamis Roundabout, taking the junction with good observation.
Science
Continue to Science.
Glens
Continue to Glens.
Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses
Continue to Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses.
John Clark BMW
Continue to John Clark BMW.
Dundee United Free Church
Continue to Dundee United Free Church.
Armadillo Dundee
Finish back near Armadillo Dundee, completing the loop.
10 roundabouts · 7 turns · 3 sets of lights
10 roundabouts · 16 turns · 3 sets of lights
7 roundabouts · 18 turns · 3 sets of lights
8 roundabouts · 13 turns · 2 sets of lights
This route is 41.5 km and takes about 30 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Dundee test centre, not an official DVSA route.