Near Eastbourne test centre
Rated moderate from its real manoeuvre load, 7 roundabouts, 13 turns and 4 signalled junctions across 25 navigation steps.
This is an independent 31.7 km practice route near Eastbourne 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.
Along the way you'll meet Birch Roundabout and Lottbridge 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, 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 churches, named junctions, shops 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 Eastbourne 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 114-step drive on real, named roads (about 31.7 km). An indicative practice loop, not an official DVSA route — the roads and junctions are real, the sequence is a rehearsal.
Drive east on Wartling Road.
Wartling Road128 m
Turn right to stay on Wartling Road.
Wartling Road81 m
Enter Sovereign Roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Lottbridge Drove.
Sovereign Roundabout19 m
Exit the roundabout onto Lottbridge Drove.
Lottbridge Drove502 m
Enter Seaside Roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Seaside/A259.
Seaside Roundabout3 m
Exit the roundabout onto Seaside/A259.
Seaside422 m
Turn left onto Rye Street.
Rye Street178 m
Turn left onto Wartling Road.
Wartling Road124 m
Turn left onto Winchelsea Road.
Winchelsea Road249 m
Turn right onto Seaside/A259.
Seaside346 m
Enter Seaside Roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Lottbridge Drove/A2290.
Seaside Roundabout4 m
Exit the roundabout onto Lottbridge Drove/A2290.
Lottbridge Drove199 m
Enter Birch Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Lottbridge Drove/A2290.
Birch Roundabout24 m
Exit the roundabout onto Lottbridge Drove/A2290.
Lottbridge Drove1.3 km
Enter Lottbridge Roundabout and take the 4th exit onto Lottbridge Drove/A2290.
Lottbridge Roundabout160 m
Exit the roundabout onto Lottbridge Drove/A2290.
Lottbridge Drove1.3 km
Enter Birch Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Lottbridge Drove/A2290.
Birch Roundabout22 m
Exit the roundabout onto Lottbridge Drove/A2290.
Lottbridge Drove198 m
Enter Seaside Roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Seaside/A259.
Seaside Roundabout3 m
Exit the roundabout onto Seaside/A259.
Seaside311 m
Turn left onto Winston Crescent.
Winston Crescent39 m
Turn right to stay on Winston Crescent.
Winston Crescent38 m
Turn right onto Seaside/A259.
Seaside362 m
Enter Seaside Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Seaside/A259.
Seaside Roundabout36 m
Exit the roundabout onto Seaside/A259.
Seaside1.2 km
Turn right onto Whitley Road/A2021.
Whitley Road932 m
Move left onto The Avenue/A2040.
The Avenue188 m
Enter Upper Avenue Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto The Avenue/A2040.
Upper Avenue Roundabout56 m
Exit the roundabout onto The Avenue/A2040.
The Avenue654 m
Turn right onto Upperton Road/A259. Continue on Upperton Road.
Upperton Road741 m
Turn left onto Moatcroft Road.
Moatcroft Road189 m
Turn left onto The Goffs/A259.
The Goffs438 m
Turn left onto Upperton Road/A2270.
Upperton Road448 m
Turn left onto Moatcroft Road.
Moatcroft Road189 m
Turn right onto High Street/A259. Continue on A259.
A259663 m
Turn left onto Summerdown Road.
Summerdown Road317 m
Turn left onto Summerdown Close.
Summerdown Close76 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Summerdown Close.
Summerdown Close76 m
Turn right onto Summerdown Road.
Summerdown Road12 m
Turn left onto Old Camp Road.
Old Camp Road479 m
Turn left onto Compton Drive.
Compton Drive548 m
Turn left onto Summerdown Road.
Summerdown Road154 m
Turn right onto Summerdown Close.
Summerdown Close76 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Summerdown Close.
Summerdown Close76 m
Turn left onto Summerdown Road.
Summerdown Road254 m
Turn right onto Paradise Drive.
Paradise Drive1.2 km
Move left onto Carlisle Road.
Carlisle Road334 m
Turn left onto Meads Road.
Meads Road71 m
Turn right onto Carlisle Road.
Carlisle Road729 m
Turn right onto Wilmington Gardens.
Wilmington Gardens90 m
Turn left onto Compton Street.
Compton Street207 m
Turn left onto Chiswick Place.
Chiswick Place19 m
Turn left onto Hardwick Road.
Hardwick Road374 m
Turn left onto South Street/A259.
South Street128 m
Turn right onto South Street/A259. Continue on A259.
A259317 m
Turn left onto Terminus Road/A259.
Terminus Road111 m
Enter Station Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Upperton Road/A259.
Station Roundabout21 m
Exit the roundabout onto Upperton Road/A259.
Upperton Road426 m
Turn left onto The Goffs/A259. Continue on A259.
A2591.1 km
Turn left onto Summerdown Road.
Summerdown Road317 m
Turn left onto Summerdown Close.
Summerdown Close76 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Summerdown Close.
Summerdown Close76 m
Turn left onto Summerdown Road.
Summerdown Road254 m
Turn right onto Paradise Drive.
Paradise Drive1.2 km
Make a sharp right onto Carlisle Road.
Carlisle Road150 m
Turn right onto Link Road.
Link Road139 m
Turn right onto Paradise Drive.
Paradise Drive177 m
Move left onto Carlisle Road.
Carlisle Road334 m
Turn left onto Meads Road.
Meads Road71 m
Turn right onto Carlisle Road.
Carlisle Road729 m
Turn right onto Wilmington Gardens.
Wilmington Gardens199 m
Turn left onto King Edward's Parade/B2103.
King Edward's Parade841 m
Move right onto Grand Parade/B2106. Continue on B2106.
B2106218 m
Turn left onto Marine Parade Road.
Marine Parade Road78 m
Turn right onto Seaside Road/A259. Continue on A259.
A259500 m
Turn left onto Firle Road.
Firle Road108 m
Turn right onto Hoad Road.
Hoad Road88 m
Turn left onto Springfield Road.
Springfield Road43 m
Turn left onto Oxford Road.
Oxford Road91 m
Turn left onto Firle Road.
Firle Road150 m
Turn right onto Seaside/A259. Continue on A259.
A259475 m
Turn left onto Marine Parade Road.
Marine Parade Road83 m
Turn right onto Marine Parade/B2106.
B21061.1 km
Turn right onto Wilmington Square.
Wilmington Square199 m
Move right onto College Road.
College Road247 m
Turn left onto Blackwater Road.
Blackwater Road195 m
Turn right onto Grange Road.
Grange Road284 m
Turn right onto South Street.
South Street223 m
Move left onto Gildredge Road.
Gildredge Road73 m
Turn right onto Lushington Road.
Lushington Road219 m
Turn left onto Cornfield Road.
Cornfield Road69 m
Turn left onto Hyde Gardens.
Hyde Gardens36 m
Turn left onto Connaught Road.
Connaught Road70 m
Turn left onto Lushington Road.
Lushington Road38 m
Turn right onto Cornfield Road.
Cornfield Road76 m
Enter Chiswick Place and take the 2nd exit onto Trinity Trees/A259.
Chiswick Place23 m
Exit the roundabout onto Trinity Trees/A259.
Trinity Trees228 m
Turn right onto Trinity Place.
Trinity Place243 m
Turn left onto Grand Parade/B2106.
Grand Parade240 m
Turn left onto Cavendish Place.
Cavendish Place425 m
Turn right onto Tideswell Road.
Tideswell Road145 m
Turn right onto Bourne Street.
Bourne Street53 m
Turn left.
62 m
Move left onto Langney Road.
Langney Road123 m
Move left onto Pevensey Road.
Pevensey Road52 m
Turn left onto Seaside/A259.
Seaside59 m
Turn right onto St. Aubyn's Road.
St. Aubyn's Road152 m
Turn left onto Marine Parade/B2106.
Marine Parade629 m
Turn left onto Royal Parade.
Royal Parade50 m
Turn right onto Sidley Road/B2106.
Sidley Road158 m
Turn left onto Beach Road/B2106.
Beach Road233 m
Turn right onto Seaside/A259.
Seaside344 m
Turn right onto Wartling Road.
Wartling Road320 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Eastbourne · Route 1 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.
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
Watch your lane discipline and signalling at Birch Roundabout, Lottbridge Roundabout. Get into the correct lane early and check your exit mirror before leaving.
Changing speed limits
Limits change across this route (20, 30, 40 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.
St Andrew
Start near St Andrew.
Birch Roundabout
Continue to Birch Roundabout, taking the junction with good observation.
Lottbridge Roundabout
Continue to Lottbridge Roundabout, taking the junction with good observation.
Lottbridge Motoring Centre
Continue to Lottbridge Motoring Centre.
Graphite Kitchens and Bathrooms
Continue to Graphite Kitchens and Bathrooms.
St Agnes Catholic Church
Continue to St Agnes Catholic Church.
Avenue House
Continue to Avenue House.
Rainbow
Continue to Rainbow.
Egmond Evangelical Church
Continue to Egmond Evangelical Church.
St Mary's (Eastbourne Parish Church)
Continue to St Mary's (Eastbourne Parish Church).
All Saints
Continue to All Saints.
Eastbourne House
Continue to Eastbourne House.
St Saviour's Church
Continue to St Saviour's Church.
Crown & Anchor
Continue to Crown & Anchor.
Buskers Bar
Continue to Buskers Bar.
Belgian Café
Continue to Belgian Café.
Our Lady of Ransom Catholic Church
Continue to Our Lady of Ransom Catholic Church.
Greek Orthodox Church of St Panteleimon & St Theodore
Continue to Greek Orthodox Church of St Panteleimon & St Theodore.
New Hope Baptist Church
Continue to New Hope Baptist Church.
Chipperfields Florist
Finish back near Chipperfields Florist, completing the loop.
8 roundabouts · 9 turns · 2 sets of lights
9 roundabouts · 13 turns · 2 sets of lights
9 roundabouts · 16 turns · 1 set of lights
5 roundabouts · 18 turns · 2 sets of lights
This route is 31.7 km and takes about 35 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Eastbourne test centre, not an official DVSA route.