Near Edinburgh (Musselburgh) test centre
Rated challenging from its real manoeuvre load, 4 roundabouts, 18 turns and 7 signalled junctions across 27 navigation steps.
This is an independent 50.5 km practice loop near Edinburgh (Musselburgh) test centre, taking roughly 40 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 Duddingston Park South, Millerhill Road, Dalkeith Bypass, Bankton Junction and Whitehill Farm Road and 1 more named junctions. 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, schools, churches 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 Edinburgh (Musselburgh) 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 96-step drive on real, named roads (about 50.5 km). An indicative practice loop, not an official DVSA route — the roads and junctions are real, the sequence is a rehearsal.
Drive south.
57 m
Turn right.
75 m
Turn right onto Newhailes Road/B6415.
Newhailes Road150 m
Turn left onto Edinburgh Road/A199.
Edinburgh Road62 m
Turn left onto Newhailes Avenue.
Newhailes Avenue179 m
Turn right onto Newhailes Crescent.
Newhailes Crescent247 m
Turn right onto Maitland Park Road.
Maitland Park Road122 m
Turn left onto Edinburgh Road/A199.
Edinburgh Road2.1 km
Turn left onto St Mary's Place.
St Mary's Place131 m
Turn right onto Argyle Crescent.
Argyle Crescent285 m
Turn right onto St Mark's Place.
St Mark's Place97 m
Turn right onto Portobello High Street/B6415. Continue on B6415.
B6415393 m
Turn right onto Brunstane Road.
Brunstane Road156 m
Turn left onto Dalkeith Street.
Dalkeith Street189 m
Turn left onto Morton Street.
Morton Street96 m
Turn right onto Joppa Road/B6415.
Joppa Road286 m
Turn right onto Coillesdene Drive.
Coillesdene Drive144 m
Turn left onto Coillesdene Avenue.
Coillesdene Avenue281 m
Turn right onto Milton Drive.
Milton Drive156 m
Turn left onto Milton Road East/A199.
Milton Road East240 m
Turn left onto Milton Terrace.
Milton Terrace101 m
Turn left onto Coillesdene Avenue.
Coillesdene Avenue198 m
Turn left onto Milton Drive.
Milton Drive156 m
Turn right onto Milton Road East/A199.
Milton Road East761 m
Turn left onto Milton Link/A1.
Milton Link420 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 4th exit onto Milton Link/A1.
158 m
Exit the roundabout onto Milton Link/A1.
Milton Link433 m
Turn right onto Milton Road East/A199.
Milton Road East1.0 km
Turn left onto Milton Terrace.
Milton Terrace101 m
Turn left onto Coillesdene Avenue.
Coillesdene Avenue198 m
Turn left onto Milton Drive.
Milton Drive156 m
Turn right onto Milton Road East/A199.
Milton Road East1.7 km
Turn left onto Duddingston Park South/A6106.
Duddingston Park South559 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Duddingston Park South/A6106.
20 m
Exit the roundabout onto Duddingston Park South/A6106. Continue on A6106.
A61063.6 km
Enter Millerhill Road and take the 2nd exit onto A6106.
Millerhill Road32 m
Exit the roundabout onto A6106.
A61061.3 km
Turn left to stay on A6106.
A610626 m
Enter Sherrifhall Roundabout and take the 1st exit towards A720(E).
Sherrifhall Roundabout3 m
Exit the roundabout towards A720(E).
A7203.5 km
Enter Old Craighall Junction and take the 3rd exit onto A1/E 15.
Old Craighall Junction225 m
Exit the roundabout onto A1/E 15.
A17.4 km
Take the Bankton Junction exit.
332 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A198.
33 m
Exit the roundabout onto A198.
A198516 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A198.
48 m
Exit the roundabout onto A198.
A198964 m
Turn left onto Fishergate Road.
Fishergate Road153 m
Turn right to stay on Fishergate Road.
Fishergate Road1.1 km
Turn right onto Links Road/B1348.
Links Road48 m
Turn right onto Links Court.
Links Court13 m
Turn left onto Links Road.
Links Road172 m
Turn right onto Castle Terrace.
Castle Terrace288 m
Turn right onto Castle Walk.
Castle Walk163 m
Turn left onto Fishergate Road.
Fishergate Road685 m
Turn left to stay on Fishergate Road.
Fishergate Road153 m
Turn right onto A198.
A198958 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto A198.
4 m
Exit the roundabout onto A198.
A198507 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A198.
108 m
Exit the roundabout onto A198.
A198358 m
Enter Bankton Junction and take the 3rd exit onto A1.
Bankton Junction106 m
Exit the roundabout onto A1/E 15.
A17.0 km
Take the Old Craighall Junction exit.
A1459 m
Enter Old Craighall Junction and take the 3rd exit onto B6415.
Old Craighall Junction230 m
Exit the roundabout onto B6415.
B6415391 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto B6415.
27 m
Exit the roundabout onto B6415.
B64151.2 km
Turn left onto Stoneybank Terrace.
Stoneybank Terrace113 m
Turn left onto Stoneybank Crescent.
Stoneybank Crescent89 m
Turn right onto Stoneybank Avenue.
Stoneybank Avenue254 m
Move left onto Mayfield Crescent.
Mayfield Crescent428 m
Turn left onto Stoneybank Crescent.
Stoneybank Crescent407 m
Turn left onto Stoneybank Terrace.
Stoneybank Terrace465 m
Enter Whitehill Farm Road and take the 2nd exit onto Clayknowes Crescent.
Whitehill Farm Road47 m
Exit the roundabout onto Clayknowes Crescent.
Clayknowes Crescent616 m
Turn right onto Stoneybank Gardens.
Stoneybank Gardens368 m
Turn right onto Stoneybank Drive.
Stoneybank Drive143 m
Turn right to stay on Stoneybank Drive.
Stoneybank Drive35 m
Turn left to stay on Stoneybank Drive.
Stoneybank Drive126 m
Turn left onto Stoneybank Gardens.
Stoneybank Gardens368 m
Turn right onto Clayknowes Crescent.
Clayknowes Crescent268 m
Turn right onto Newhailes Road/A6095.
Newhailes Road292 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Olive Bank Road/A6095.
60 m
Exit the roundabout onto Olive Bank Road/A6095.
Olive Bank Road541 m
Turn right onto Eskview Terrace/B6415.
Eskview Terrace58 m
Turn right onto Eskview Road.
Eskview Road155 m
Turn left onto Eskview Grove.
Eskview Grove134 m
Turn left onto Eskview Crescent.
Eskview Crescent207 m
Turn left onto Eskview Terrace/B6415.
Eskview Terrace288 m
Turn right onto Olive Bank Road/A6095.
Olive Bank Road160 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Olive Bank Road/A6095.
22 m
Exit the roundabout onto Olive Bank Road/A6095. Continue on A6095.
A6095310 m
Turn left onto A199.
A199955 m
Turn left onto Newhailes Avenue.
Newhailes Avenue102 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Edinburgh (Musselburgh) · 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
Approach in the correct lane, signal on the exit before yours, and keep checking your mirrors as you leave.
Dual-carriageway join
About 18.6 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 (20, 30, 40, 50, 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.
Joppa Pans
Start near Joppa Pans.
Spark of Genius Musselburgh Learning Centre
Continue to Spark of Genius Musselburgh Learning Centre.
Portobello and Joppa Parish Church
Continue to Portobello and Joppa Parish Church.
St Mark's Church
Continue to St Mark's Church.
Brunstane Kitchens
Continue to Brunstane Kitchens.
Primary Colours Hair
Continue to Primary Colours Hair.
Duddingston Park South
Continue to Duddingston Park South, taking the junction with good observation.
Hope Church Bingham
Continue to Hope Church Bingham.
Millerhill Road
Continue to Millerhill Road, taking the junction with good observation.
Dalkeith Bypass
Continue to Dalkeith Bypass, taking the junction with good observation.
Coastline Autos
Continue to Coastline Autos.
Bankton Junction
Continue to Bankton Junction, taking the junction with good observation.
Haugh Park
Continue to Haugh Park.
Musselburgh Private Nursery
Continue to Musselburgh Private Nursery.
Whitehill Farm Road
Continue to Whitehill Farm Road, taking the junction with good observation.
Newcraighall Road
Continue to Newcraighall Road, taking the junction with good observation.
River Esk Park
Continue to River Esk Park.
Riverside Tavern
Continue to Riverside Tavern.
Hope Hub
Continue to Hope Hub.
Northesk Parish Church
Finish back near Northesk Parish Church, completing the loop.
7 roundabouts · 13 turns · 4 sets of lights
6 roundabouts · 16 turns · 4 sets of lights
4 roundabouts · 16 turns · 4 sets of lights
4 roundabouts · 19 turns · 8 sets of lights
This route is 50.5 km and takes about 40 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Edinburgh (Musselburgh) test centre, not an official DVSA route.