Near Edinburgh (Currie) test centre
Rated easy from its real manoeuvre load, 7 roundabouts, 12 turns and 1 signalled junction across 23 navigation steps.
This is an independent 52.2 km practice loop 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 Riccarton Mains 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 independent driving. 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, named junctions, churches and parks, 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 104-step drive on real, named roads (about 52.1 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 Road1.1 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 Road783 m
Turn left onto Gillespie Road/B701.
Gillespie Road335 m
Turn left onto Spylaw Avenue.
Spylaw Avenue212 m
Move left onto Spylaw Bank Road.
Spylaw Bank Road110 m
Turn left onto Lanark Road/A70. Continue on A70.
A705.0 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.
A707.2 km
Turn right onto Craiglockhart Avenue.
Craiglockhart Avenue641 m
Turn left onto Colinton Road.
Colinton Road528 m
Turn right onto Lockharton Avenue.
Lockharton Avenue228 m
Turn left onto Lockharton Crescent.
Lockharton Crescent75 m
Turn left onto Colinton Road.
Colinton Road1.3 km
Turn right to stay on Colinton Road.
Colinton Road1.1 km
Turn left onto Thorburn Road.
Thorburn Road384 m
Turn right onto Redford Drive.
Redford Drive110 m
Turn right onto Westgarth Avenue.
Westgarth Avenue394 m
Turn right onto Colinton Road/B701. Continue on B701.
B701165 m
Turn right onto Redford Road/B701.
Redford Road678 m
Turn right onto Redford Avenue.
Redford Avenue52 m
Turn left onto Redford Loan.
Redford Loan362 m
Turn right onto Redford Crescent.
Redford Crescent168 m
Turn right onto Redford Avenue.
Redford Avenue344 m
Turn left to stay on Redford Avenue.
Redford Avenue52 m
Turn left onto Redford Road/B701.
Redford Road307 m
Turn left onto Redford Drive.
Redford Drive310 m
Turn right onto Westgarth Avenue.
Westgarth Avenue394 m
Turn right onto Colinton Road/B701. Continue on B701.
B701165 m
Turn right onto Redford Road/B701.
Redford Road1.3 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Dreghorn Link.
35 m
Exit the roundabout onto Dreghorn Link.
Dreghorn Link392 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Dreghorn Link.
41 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 3rd exit onto Dreghorn Link.
43 m
Exit the roundabout onto Dreghorn Link.
Dreghorn Link259 m
Stay straight to take the A720 ramp.
A7203.2 km
Take the Baberton Junction exit towards Balerno/Currie/Wester Hailes.
347 m
Turn right towards Wester Hailes/Currie/Balerno.
Baberton Mains View128 m
Enter Clovenstone Roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Wester Hailes Road/B701.
Clovenstone Roundabout17 m
Exit the roundabout onto Wester Hailes Road/B701.
Wester Hailes Road1.2 km
Turn left onto Calder Drive.
Calder Drive131 m
Turn right onto Calder Gardens.
Calder Gardens69 m
Turn left onto Calder Place.
Calder Place246 m
Move left onto Calder Drive.
Calder Drive196 m
Turn left to stay on Calder Drive.
Calder Drive255 m
Turn left onto Wester Hailes Road/B701.
Wester Hailes Road386 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Calder Road/A71.
14 m
Exit the roundabout onto Calder Road/A71.
Calder Road789 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 6th exit towards Heriot-Watt University.
481 m
Exit the roundabout towards Heriot-Watt University.
Calder Road471 m
Keep left towards Heriot-Watt University.
Riccarton Mains Road321 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit towards Heriot-Watt University/Currie/Balerno.
28 m
Exit the roundabout towards Heriot-Watt University/Currie/Balerno.
Riccarton Mains Road305 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit towards Currie.
91 m
Exit the roundabout towards Currie.
Riccarton Mains Road1.2 km
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Edinburgh (Currie) · Route 13 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
Approach in the correct lane, signal on the exit before yours, and keep checking your mirrors as you leave.
Dual-carriageway join
About 3.0 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.
Riccarton Mains Road
Continue to Riccarton Mains Road, taking the junction with good observation.
St Nicholas Parish Church
Continue to St Nicholas Parish Church.
St Nicholas Parish Church Gardens
Continue to St Nicholas Parish Church Gardens.
Cranley Nursery
Continue to Cranley Nursery.
Scotmid
Continue to Scotmid.
Juniper Green Parish Church
Continue to Juniper Green Parish Church.
Tanners
Continue to Tanners.
Juniper Kitchen Design
Continue to Juniper Kitchen Design.
Juniper Salon
Continue to Juniper Salon.
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.
Bees Knees Nursery
Continue to Bees Knees Nursery.
Kinleith Mill
Continue to Kinleith Mill.
Tracey Victoria Interiors
Continue to Tracey Victoria Interiors.
Craiglockhart Parish Church
Continue to Craiglockhart Parish Church.
St Cuthbert's
Continue to St Cuthbert's.
Covenanters Monument
Finish back near Covenanters Monument, completing the loop.
4 roundabouts · 16 turns · 4 sets of lights
7 roundabouts · 10 turns · 2 sets of lights
4 roundabouts · 14 turns · 2 sets of lights
2 roundabouts · 16 turns · 2 sets of lights
This route is 52.2 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.