Near Edinburgh (Musselburgh) test centre
Rated moderate from its real manoeuvre load, 4 roundabouts, 16 turns and 4 signalled junctions across 25 navigation steps.
This is an independent 39.7 km practice loop near Edinburgh (Musselburgh) 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 Newcraighall 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 churches, schools, 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 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 83-step drive on real, named roads (about 39.7 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 right onto Edinburgh Road/A199. Continue on A199.
A1991.2 km
Turn right onto Mall Avenue/A6095. Continue on A6095.
A6095306 m
Enter Olive Bank Road and take the 4th exit onto Olive Bank Road/A6095.
Olive Bank Road69 m
Exit the roundabout onto Olive Bank Road/A6095. Continue on A6095.
A6095310 m
Move right onto High Street/A199.
High Street406 m
Turn right onto Newbigging.
Newbigging311 m
Turn right onto Newbigging/B6454.
Newbigging54 m
Turn left onto Newbigging/A6124. Continue on A6124.
A61242.2 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Salters Road/A6094.
5 m
Exit the roundabout onto Salters Road/A6094.
Salters Road1.3 km
Turn right onto Masons Way.
Masons Way541 m
Turn left onto Sweethope Crescent.
Sweethope Crescent223 m
Turn left onto Fa'side Avenue South.
Fa'side Avenue South219 m
Turn right onto Fa'side Drive.
Fa'side Drive127 m
Turn left onto Fa'side Buildings.
Fa'side Buildings145 m
Turn right onto Salters Road/A6094.
Salters Road664 m
Turn left onto The Loan.
The Loan319 m
Move left onto Haddington Road/A199.
Haddington Road768 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Linkfield Road/A199.
46 m
Exit the roundabout onto Linkfield Road/A199.
Linkfield Road1.0 km
Turn right onto Millhill.
Millhill401 m
Turn left to stay on Millhill.
Millhill99 m
Turn left onto Kerr's Wynd.
Kerr's Wynd41 m
Turn left onto Millhill Lane.
Millhill Lane216 m
Turn right onto Millhill.
Millhill310 m
Turn left onto Linkfield Road/A199.
Linkfield Road1.0 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 5th exit onto Linkfield Road/A199.
114 m
Exit the roundabout onto Linkfield Road/A199.
Linkfield Road484 m
Turn left onto Ashgrove.
Ashgrove429 m
Turn right onto Pinkie Road/B6454.
B64541.1 km
Turn right onto Dalrymple Loan/A6124.
Dalrymple Loan301 m
Turn left onto High Street/A199.
High Street29 m
Move left onto Mall Avenue/A6095. Continue on A6095.
A6095306 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Olive Bank Road/A6095.
47 m
Exit the roundabout onto Olive Bank Road/A6095.
Olive Bank Road702 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Newhailes Road/A6095.
18 m
Exit the roundabout onto Newhailes Road/A6095.
Newhailes Road711 m
Enter Newcraighall Road and take the 2nd exit onto Newhailes Road/A6095.
Newcraighall Road24 m
Exit the roundabout onto Newhailes Road/A6095. Continue on A6095.
A6095933 m
Turn left onto Newcraighall Drive.
Newcraighall Drive281 m
Turn right onto Park Terrace.
Park Terrace54 m
Turn right onto Park View.
Park View188 m
Turn left onto Newcraighall Drive.
Newcraighall Drive131 m
Turn right onto Whitehill Street/A6095. Continue on A6095.
A6095928 m
Enter Newcraighall Road and take the 2nd exit onto Newhailes Road/A6095.
Newcraighall Road23 m
Exit the roundabout onto Newhailes Road/A6095.
Newhailes Road708 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 Road702 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
Move right onto High Street/A199. Continue on A199.
A1991.4 km
Turn right onto Ashgrove.
Ashgrove259 m
Turn left onto Windsor Park Terrace.
Windsor Park Terrace259 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Windsor Park Terrace.
Windsor Park Terrace259 m
Turn left onto Ashgrove.
Ashgrove170 m
Turn right onto Pinkie Road/B6454.
B64541.3 km
Make a right U-turn onto Inveresk Road.
Inveresk Road426 m
Turn right onto Newbigging/A6124. Continue on A6124.
A61242.2 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A6094.
56 m
Exit the roundabout onto A6094.
A6094537 m
Turn left onto Whitecraig Crescent.
Whitecraig Crescent119 m
Turn left to stay on Whitecraig Crescent.
Whitecraig Crescent298 m
Turn left.
22 m
Turn right onto Whitecraig Road/A6094. Continue on A6094.
A6094328 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Salters Road/A6094.
31 m
Exit the roundabout onto Salters Road/A6094.
Salters Road915 m
Turn left to take the A1 ramp.
A15.8 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Milton Link/A1.
65 m
Exit the roundabout onto Milton Link/A1.
Milton Link433 m
Turn right onto Milton Road East/A199. Continue on A199.
A1992.3 km
Turn right onto Newhailes Road/B6415.
Newhailes Road267 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 4th exit onto Newhailes Road/B6415.
98 m
Exit the roundabout onto Newhailes Road/B6415.
Newhailes Road267 m
Turn left onto Edinburgh Road/A199.
Edinburgh Road62 m
Turn left onto Newhailes Avenue.
Newhailes Avenue102 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Edinburgh (Musselburgh) · Route 10 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.
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 2.5 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, 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.
Hope Hub
Start near Hope Hub.
Northesk Parish Church
Continue to Northesk Parish Church.
Loretto RC Primary School
Continue to Loretto RC Primary School.
Our Lady of Loretto Church
Continue to Our Lady of Loretto Church.
Battle of Pinkie Cleugh Memorial Stone
Continue to Battle of Pinkie Cleugh Memorial Stone.
Munchies Takeaway
Continue to Munchies Takeaway.
St Clements Church
Continue to St Clements Church.
Musselburgh East Community Learning Centre
Continue to Musselburgh East Community Learning Centre.
Loretto Sports Hall
Continue to Loretto Sports Hall.
Levenhall Arms
Continue to Levenhall Arms.
Levenhall Village Store
Continue to Levenhall Village Store.
QwikLube
Continue to QwikLube.
Newcraighall Road
Continue to Newcraighall Road, taking the junction with good observation.
Lifestyle Express
Continue to Lifestyle Express.
Wellsprings
Continue to Wellsprings.
Muss Bar and Kitchen
Continue to Muss Bar and Kitchen.
St Peter's Episcopal Church
Continue to St Peter's Episcopal Church.
Mercat Grill
Continue to Mercat Grill.
Ali & Son Newsagent
Continue to Ali & Son Newsagent.
Tiger In
Finish back near Tiger In, completing the loop.
7 roundabouts · 13 turns · 4 sets of lights
4 roundabouts · 18 turns · 7 sets of lights
6 roundabouts · 16 turns · 4 sets of lights
4 roundabouts · 19 turns · 8 sets of lights
This route is 39.7 km and takes about 35 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Edinburgh (Musselburgh) test centre, not an official DVSA route.