Near Edinburgh (Currie) test centre
Rated moderate from its real manoeuvre load, 4 roundabouts, 16 turns and 4 signalled junctions across 24 navigation steps.
This is an independent 70.5 km practice route near Edinburgh (Currie) 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 Clovenstone 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 stations, churches, named junctions and schools, 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 Edinburgh (Currie) 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 112-step drive on real, named roads (about 70.5 km). An indicative practice loop, not an official DVSA route — the roads and junctions are real, the sequence is a rehearsal.
Drive east on Bryce Road.
Bryce Road308 m
Turn right onto Easter Currie Terrace.
Easter Currie Terrace157 m
Turn right onto Easter Currie Crescent.
Easter Currie Crescent185 m
Turn right onto Riccarton Mains Road.
Riccarton Mains Road141 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Riccarton Mains Road.
52 m
Exit the roundabout onto Riccarton Mains Road.
Riccarton Mains Road1.4 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit towards Edinburgh/City Bypass.
90 m
Exit the roundabout towards Edinburgh/City Bypass.
Riccarton Mains Road307 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit towards Edinburgh/City Bypass/M8.
31 m
Exit the roundabout towards Edinburgh/City Bypass/M8.
Riccarton Mains Road244 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit towards Edinburgh/City Bypass/M8.
149 m
Exit the roundabout towards Edinburgh/City Bypass/M8.
Calder Road524 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit towards City Centre.
120 m
Exit the roundabout towards City Centre.
Calder Road802 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit towards Lanark.
99 m
Exit the roundabout towards Lanark.
Wester Hailes Road1.5 km
Enter Clovenstone Roundabout and take the 2nd exit towards City Centre.
Clovenstone Roundabout71 m
Exit the roundabout towards City Centre.
Wester Hailes Road524 m
Turn left towards City Centre.
Lanark Road657 m
Turn right onto Hailes Grove.
Hailes Grove95 m
Turn left onto Hailes Terrace.
Hailes Terrace166 m
Turn left onto Hailes Avenue.
Hailes Avenue173 m
Turn left onto Lanark Road/A70.
Lanark Road783 m
Turn right onto Wester Hailes Road/B701.
Wester Hailes Road516 m
Enter Clovenstone Roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Wester Hailes Road/B701.
Clovenstone Roundabout78 m
Exit the roundabout onto Wester Hailes Road/B701.
Wester Hailes Road814 m
Turn left onto Westburn Avenue.
Westburn Avenue527 m
Turn right onto Baberton Mains Cottages.
Baberton Mains Cottages282 m
Move right onto Baberton Road.
Baberton Road604 m
Turn left to stay on Baberton Road.
Baberton Road44 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Baberton Road.
Baberton Road44 m
Turn right to stay on Baberton Road.
Baberton Road604 m
Move left onto Baberton Mains Cottages.
Baberton Mains Cottages282 m
Turn left onto Baberton Mains Hill.
Baberton Mains Hill537 m
Turn right onto Wester Hailes Road/B701.
Wester Hailes Road809 m
Enter Clovenstone Roundabout and take the 2nd exit towards City Centre/Lanark/Colinton/Currie.
Clovenstone Roundabout71 m
Exit the roundabout towards City Centre/Lanark/Colinton/Currie.
Wester Hailes Road524 m
Turn right onto Lanark Road/A70.
Lanark Road848 m
Turn right onto Woodhall Drive.
Woodhall Drive194 m
Turn right onto Woodhall Terrace.
Woodhall Terrace466 m
Turn left onto Lanark Road/A70.
Lanark Road476 m
Turn left onto Wester Hailes Road/B701.
Wester Hailes Road516 m
Enter Clovenstone Roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Wester Hailes Road/B701.
Clovenstone Roundabout78 m
Exit the roundabout onto Wester Hailes Road/B701.
Wester Hailes Road814 m
Turn left onto Westburn Avenue.
Westburn Avenue527 m
Turn right onto Baberton Mains Cottages.
Baberton Mains Cottages282 m
Move right onto Baberton Road.
Baberton Road604 m
Turn left to stay on Baberton Road.
Baberton Road44 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Baberton Road.
Baberton Road44 m
Turn right to stay on Baberton Road.
Baberton Road604 m
Move left onto Baberton Mains Cottages.
Baberton Mains Cottages282 m
Turn left onto Baberton Mains Hill.
Baberton Mains Hill537 m
Turn right onto Wester Hailes Road/B701.
Wester Hailes Road809 m
Enter Clovenstone Roundabout and take the 2nd exit towards City Centre.
Clovenstone Roundabout71 m
Exit the roundabout towards City Centre.
Wester Hailes Road524 m
Turn left towards City Centre.
Lanark Road657 m
Turn right onto Hailes Grove.
Hailes Grove95 m
Turn left onto Hailes Terrace.
Hailes Terrace166 m
Turn left onto Hailes Avenue.
Hailes Avenue173 m
Turn left onto Lanark Road/A70.
Lanark Road783 m
Turn right onto Wester Hailes Road/B701.
Wester Hailes Road516 m
Enter Clovenstone Roundabout and take the 1st exit.
Clovenstone Roundabout6 m
Exit the roundabout onto A720/E 15/City of Edinburgh Bypass.
A7207.7 km
Take the Straiton Junction exit onto A701 towards A703/City Centre/Peebles.
444 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 4th exit onto Straiton Road/A701.
126 m
Exit the roundabout onto Straiton Road/A701.
Straiton Road229 m
Turn right to stay on Straiton Road/A701.
Straiton Road27 m
Turn right to stay on Straiton Road/A701.
Straiton Road115 m
Take the A720 exit.
A7204.1 km
Take the Dreghorn Junction exit.
407 m
Turn right onto Dreghorn Link.
Dreghorn Link114 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Dreghorn Link.
12 m
Exit the roundabout onto Dreghorn Link.
Dreghorn Link30 m
Turn right to stay on Dreghorn Link.
Dreghorn Link175 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Dreghorn Link.
Dreghorn Link175 m
Turn left to stay on Dreghorn Link.
Dreghorn Link30 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Dreghorn Link.
15 m
Exit the roundabout onto Dreghorn Link.
Dreghorn Link393 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Redford Road/B701.
16 m
Exit the roundabout onto Redford Road/B701.
Redford Road947 m
Turn left onto Redford Drive.
Redford Drive310 m
Turn right onto Westgarth Avenue.
Westgarth Avenue394 m
Turn right onto Colinton Road/B701.
B7011.2 km
Turn left onto Colinton Road.
Colinton Road1.1 km
Turn right onto Lockharton Avenue.
Lockharton Avenue228 m
Turn left onto Lockharton Crescent.
Lockharton Crescent75 m
Turn left onto Colinton Road.
Colinton Road680 m
Turn right onto Craiglockhart Avenue.
Craiglockhart Avenue642 m
Turn left onto Lanark Road/A70. Continue on A70.
A707.2 km
Turn left towards Balerno Village/Marchmont.
Bridge Road448 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 4th exit onto Bridge Road.
65 m
Exit the roundabout onto Bridge Road.
Bridge Road447 m
Turn right towards Currie/Edinburgh.
A705.4 km
Turn right onto Hailes Grove.
Hailes Grove95 m
Turn left onto Hailes Terrace.
Hailes Terrace166 m
Turn left onto Hailes Avenue.
Hailes Avenue173 m
Turn left onto Lanark Road/A70.
Lanark Road520 m
Turn left onto Spylaw Bank Road.
Spylaw Bank Road110 m
Move right onto Spylaw Avenue.
Spylaw Avenue111 m
Turn right onto Spylaw Park.
Spylaw Park219 m
Turn left onto Lanark Road/A70. Continue on A70.
A703.0 km
Turn right onto Curriehill Road.
Curriehill Road93 m
Turn left onto Pentland View.
Pentland View276 m
Turn right onto Pentland Avenue.
Pentland Avenue85 m
Turn left onto Dolphin Gardens East.
Dolphin Gardens East131 m
Turn left onto Dolphin Avenue.
Dolphin Avenue247 m
Turn right onto Lanark Road West/A70.
Lanark Road West1.4 km
Turn left towards Balerno Village/Marchmont.
Bridge Road448 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 4th exit onto Bridge Road.
65 m
Exit the roundabout onto Bridge Road.
Bridge Road447 m
Turn right towards Currie/Edinburgh.
A705.2 km
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Edinburgh (Currie) · 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.
Expect busier traffic, pick-ups and pedestrians around these.
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 Clovenstone Roundabout. Get into the correct lane early and check your exit mirror before leaving.
Dual-carriageway join
About 7.5 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, 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.
Hermiston Park and Ride
Start near Hermiston Park and Ride.
St Nicholas Parish Church
Continue to St Nicholas Parish Church.
Clovenstone Roundabout
Continue to Clovenstone Roundabout, taking the junction with good observation.
Cranley Nursery
Continue to Cranley Nursery.
Scotmid
Continue to Scotmid.
Tanners
Continue to Tanners.
Juniper Green Parish Church
Continue to Juniper Green Parish Church.
St Cuthbert's
Continue to St Cuthbert's.
Craiglockhart Parish Church
Continue to Craiglockhart Parish Church.
Great Smoke Barber
Continue to Great Smoke Barber.
Jack Brown Eyecate
Continue to Jack Brown Eyecate.
Pentland Fry
Continue to Pentland Fry.
Riccarton Inn
Continue to Riccarton Inn.
Woodhall Arms
Continue to Woodhall Arms.
Balerno Parish Church
Continue to Balerno Parish Church.
Balerno Parish Church Hall
Continue to Balerno Parish Church Hall.
Just Bike Repairs
Continue to Just Bike Repairs.
Kinleith Mill
Continue to Kinleith Mill.
Our Lady, Mother Of The Church
Continue to Our Lady, Mother Of The Church.
Pentland View Park
Finish back near Pentland View Park, completing the loop.
7 roundabouts · 10 turns · 2 sets of lights
4 roundabouts · 14 turns · 2 sets of lights
7 roundabouts · 12 turns · 1 set of lights
2 roundabouts · 16 turns · 2 sets of lights
This route is 70.5 km and takes about 35 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Edinburgh (Currie) test centre, not an official DVSA route.