Near Durham (Meadowfield) test centre
Rated moderate from its real manoeuvre load, 3 roundabouts, 18 turns and 3 signalled junctions across 25 navigation steps.
This is an independent 40.0 km practice route near Durham (Meadowfield) test centre, taking roughly 35 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.
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 schools, churches, pubs 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 Durham (Meadowfield) 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 99-step drive on real, named roads (about 40.1 km). An indicative practice loop, not an official DVSA route — the roads and junctions are real, the sequence is a rehearsal.
Drive east.
17 m
Turn left.
15 m
Turn left onto Whitfield Court.
Whitfield Court76 m
Turn left onto St. John's Road.
St. John's Road555 m
Turn left onto Browney Lane/B6300.
Browney Lane2.0 km
Keep left to stay on B6300.
B6300166 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit towards Durham/Chester-le-Street/Newcastle.
5 m
Exit the roundabout towards Durham/Chester-le-Street/Newcastle.
A1671.9 km
Enter Cock o' the North and take the 3rd exit towards Durham/Durham - Historic Cathedral City/The Oriental Museum/The Botanic Garden.
Cock o' the North47 m
Exit the roundabout towards Durham/Durham - Historic Cathedral City/The Oriental Museum/The Botanic Garden.
South Road851 m
Keep right to stay on South Road/A177.
South Road1.2 km
Turn right towards Bowburn/Coxhoe.
Stockton Road367 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Hallgarth Street.
5 m
Exit the roundabout onto Hallgarth Street.
Hallgarth Street464 m
Make a sharp left onto Church Street.
Church Street520 m
Turn left towards Bowburn/Coxhoe.
Stockton Road48 m
Keep right to stay on Stockton Road.
Stockton Road318 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit towards Darlington/City Centre.
100 m
Exit the roundabout towards Darlington/City Centre.
Stockton Road361 m
Turn left onto South Road/A177.
South Road1.1 km
Keep left to stay on South Road/A177.
South Road226 m
Keep left to stay on South Road/A177.
South Road744 m
Keep right to stay on South Road/A177.
South Road63 m
Enter Cock o' the North and take the 4th exit towards Durham/Durham - Historic Cathedral City/The Oriental Museum/The Botanic Garden.
Cock o' the North82 m
Exit the roundabout towards Durham/Durham - Historic Cathedral City/The Oriental Museum/The Botanic Garden.
South Road1.4 km
Turn left onto Elvet Hill Road.
Elvet Hill Road488 m
Turn left onto Potters Bank.
Potters Bank573 m
Turn left onto Potters Close.
Potters Close163 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Potters Close.
Potters Close163 m
Turn left onto Potters Bank.
Potters Bank648 m
Turn left onto A690.
A69063 m
Enter Stone Bridge and take the 1st exit onto A690.
Stone Bridge30 m
Exit the roundabout onto A690.
A690415 m
Keep right to stay on A690.
A6902.2 km
Turn right onto Carr Avenue.
Carr Avenue728 m
Turn right onto Brandon Lane.
Brandon Lane1.2 km
Keep right to stay on Brandon Lane.
Brandon Lane58 m
Turn right onto Black Road.
Black Road206 m
Turn left onto High Street/A690.
High Street243 m
Keep right to stay on High Street/A690.
High Street7 m
Turn left onto Sleetburn Lane.
Sleetburn Lane131 m
Turn left onto Brandon Lane.
Brandon Lane1.2 km
Turn right onto St Agatha's Close.
St Agatha's Close56 m
Turn right onto Stack Garth.
Stack Garth43 m
Move right onto Tiree Close.
Tiree Close133 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Tiree Close.
Tiree Close243 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Stack Garth.
Stack Garth110 m
Turn right to stay on Stack Garth.
Stack Garth43 m
Turn left onto St Agatha's Close.
St Agatha's Close56 m
Turn left onto Brandon Lane.
Brandon Lane313 m
Turn left onto High Shaws.
High Shaws183 m
Keep right to stay on High Shaws.
High Shaws6 m
Turn right to stay on High Shaws.
High Shaws395 m
Turn left onto St Agatha's Close.
St Agatha's Close254 m
Keep straight to stay on St Agatha's Close.
St Agatha's Close40 m
Turn right onto Brandon Lane.
Brandon Lane662 m
Turn left.
42 m
Turn right onto Oak Green Flats.
Oak Green Flats75 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Oak Green Flats.
Oak Green Flats75 m
Turn left.
42 m
Turn right onto Brandon Lane.
Brandon Lane200 m
Turn right.
102 m
Turn right onto Lime Park.
Lime Park114 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Lime Park.
Lime Park114 m
Turn left.
102 m
Turn left onto Brandon Lane.
Brandon Lane200 m
Turn left.
42 m
Turn right onto Oak Green Flats.
Oak Green Flats75 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Oak Green Flats.
Oak Green Flats75 m
Turn right.
393 m
Turn left onto Lowland Road.
Lowland Road147 m
Turn right to stay on Lowland Road.
Lowland Road62 m
Turn left to stay on Lowland Road.
Lowland Road215 m
Turn left onto Sawmill Lane.
Sawmill Lane391 m
Turn left onto A690.
A6901.2 km
Make a sharp right onto Lobley Hill Road.
Lobley Hill Road117 m
Keep right to stay on Lobley Hill Road.
Lobley Hill Road18 m
Move left onto A690.
A690730 m
Turn left onto Browney Lane/B6300.
Browney Lane2.8 km
Keep left to stay on B6300.
B6300166 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit towards Durham/Chester-le-Street/Newcastle.
5 m
Exit the roundabout towards Durham/Chester-le-Street/Newcastle.
A1671.9 km
Enter Cock o' the North and take the 2nd exit towards Chester-le-Street/Newcastle.
Cock o' the North10 m
Exit the roundabout towards Chester-le-Street/Newcastle.
A16710 m
Keep right to stay on A167 towards Chester-le-Street/Newcastle.
A167837 m
Keep right to stay on A167 towards Chester-le-Street/Newcastle.
A167735 m
Turn right onto Potters Bank.
Potters Bank733 m
Turn right onto Elvet Hill Road.
Elvet Hill Road487 m
Turn right onto South Road/A177.
South Road381 m
Keep left to stay on South Road/A177.
South Road226 m
Keep left to stay on South Road/A177.
South Road744 m
Keep right to stay on South Road/A177.
South Road63 m
Enter Cock o' the North and take the 4th exit towards Durham/Durham - Historic Cathedral City/The Oriental Museum/The Botanic Garden.
Cock o' the North82 m
Exit the roundabout towards Durham/Durham - Historic Cathedral City/The Oriental Museum/The Botanic Garden.
South Road851 m
Keep right to stay on South Road/A177.
South Road1.2 km
Turn right towards Bowburn/Coxhoe.
Stockton Road367 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Hallgarth Street.
5 m
Exit the roundabout onto Hallgarth Street.
Hallgarth Street237 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Durham (Meadowfield) · Route 6 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.
Watch for 20 mph zones, crossings and children near these.
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
Approach in the correct lane, signal on the exit before yours, and keep checking your mirrors as you leave.
Dual-carriageway join
About 5.6 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, 60, 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.
Master's House
Start near Master's House.
Tyne South
Continue to Tyne South.
Islamic Prayer Rooms
Continue to Islamic Prayer Rooms.
Ogden Centre West
Continue to Ogden Centre West.
St Oswald's Church
Continue to St Oswald's Church.
St Oswald's Church of England Aided Primary and Nursery School
Continue to St Oswald's Church of England Aided Primary and Nursery School.
Teikyo University of Japan
Continue to Teikyo University of Japan.
Sir James Knott Hall
Continue to Sir James Knott Hall.
Tunstall
Continue to Tunstall.
Duke of Wellington
Continue to Duke of Wellington.
Family Church Centre
Continue to Family Church Centre.
St Andrews Methodist Church
Continue to St Andrews Methodist Church.
St John the Evangelist
Continue to St John the Evangelist.
Langley Moor Nursery School
Continue to Langley Moor Nursery School.
Langley Moor Primary School
Continue to Langley Moor Primary School.
Commercial Convenience Store
Continue to Commercial Convenience Store.
Co-op Food
Continue to Co-op Food.
Pink Lemon Hair
Continue to Pink Lemon Hair.
Specialist Cycles
Continue to Specialist Cycles.
Mash Room
Finish back near Mash Room, completing the loop.
2 roundabouts · 21 turns · 4 sets of lights
3 roundabouts · 20 turns · 4 sets of lights
4 roundabouts · 17 turns · 5 sets of lights
4 roundabouts · 18 turns · 7 sets of lights
This route is 40.0 km and takes about 35 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Durham (Meadowfield) test centre, not an official DVSA route.