Near Farnborough Test Centre
Rated challenging from its real manoeuvre load, 8 roundabouts, 20 turns and 1 signalled junction across 30 navigation steps.
This is an independent 43.9 km practice loop near Farnborough 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 Gladiator Way, St Albans Roundabout, Wellington Roundabout and Queens Gate 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, national-speed roads, 20 mph zones, changing speed limits, residential manoeuvres, busy a-roads, independent driving 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 named junctions, shops, pubs and churches, 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 Farnborough 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 117-step drive on real, named roads (about 43.9 km). An indicative practice loop, not an official DVSA route — the roads and junctions are real, the sequence is a rehearsal.
Drive south on Hercules Way.
Hercules Way150 m
Turn left onto Aerospace Boulevard.
Aerospace Boulevard256 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Aerospace Boulevard.
38 m
Exit the roundabout onto Aerospace Boulevard.
Aerospace Boulevard700 m
Enter Queen's Roundabout and take the 3rd exit towards A325 (S).
Queen's Roundabout171 m
Exit the roundabout towards A325 (S).
Farnborough Road1.2 km
Take the exit.
238 m
Turn right onto Clubhouse Road.
Clubhouse Road166 m
Turn right to take the Farnborough Road ramp.
Farnborough Road1.5 km
Enter Queen's Roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A3011.
Queen's Roundabout172 m
Exit the roundabout onto A3011.
A3011471 m
Enter St Albans Roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Alexandra Road/B3403.
St Albans Roundabout4 m
Exit the roundabout onto Alexandra Road/B3403.
Alexandra Road637 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Alexandra Road/B3403.
25 m
Exit the roundabout onto Alexandra Road/B3403.
Alexandra Road404 m
Turn right onto Albert Road.
Albert Road207 m
Turn left onto Chalfont Drive.
Chalfont Drive55 m
Turn left to stay on Chalfont Drive.
Chalfont Drive35 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Chalfont Drive.
Chalfont Drive35 m
Turn right to stay on Chalfont Drive.
Chalfont Drive55 m
Turn right onto Albert Road.
Albert Road207 m
Turn left onto Alexandra Road/B3403.
Alexandra Road137 m
Turn left onto Church Road West.
Church Road West205 m
Turn left onto Church Circle.
Church Circle148 m
Turn left onto Church Road East.
Church Road East197 m
Turn left onto Canterbury Road.
Canterbury Road142 m
Turn left onto Albert Road.
Albert Road471 m
Turn left onto Alexandra Road/B3403.
Alexandra Road137 m
Turn right onto Church Road West.
Church Road West156 m
Turn left onto Farnborough Road/A325.
Farnborough Road1.0 km
Enter Queen's Roundabout and take the 2nd exit towards A325 (S).
Queen's Roundabout94 m
Exit the roundabout towards A325 (S).
Farnborough Road2.1 km
Move left onto Pennefather's Road.
Pennefather's Road21 m
Turn left to stay on Pennefather's Road.
Pennefather's Road426 m
Turn right onto Hospital Hill.
Hospital Hill495 m
Turn right onto Barrack Road/B3007. Continue on B3007.
B3007563 m
Turn left onto Halimote Road.
Halimote Road187 m
Turn left onto The Grove.
The Grove501 m
Enter Naafi Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Wellington Avenue/A323.
Naafi Roundabout17 m
Exit the roundabout onto Wellington Avenue/A323.
Wellington Avenue776 m
Enter Willems Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Wellington Avenue/A323.
Willems Roundabout52 m
Exit the roundabout onto Wellington Avenue/A323.
Wellington Avenue424 m
Enter Wellington Roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Farnborough Road/A325.
Wellington Roundabout165 m
Exit the roundabout onto Farnborough Road/A325.
Farnborough Road2.9 km
Enter Queen's Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Farnborough Road/A325.
Queen's Roundabout100 m
Exit the roundabout onto Farnborough Road/A325.
Farnborough Road1.0 km
Turn right onto Church Road West.
Church Road West156 m
Turn left onto Alexandra Road/B3403.
Alexandra Road137 m
Turn right onto Albert Road.
Albert Road471 m
Turn left onto Canterbury Road.
Canterbury Road323 m
Turn right onto Sycamore Road.
Sycamore Road880 m
Turn right onto The Grove.
The Grove445 m
Turn right onto Canterbury Road.
Canterbury Road166 m
Turn left onto Albert Road.
Albert Road471 m
Turn left onto Alexandra Road/B3403.
Alexandra Road276 m
Turn right onto Cambridge Road West.
Cambridge Road West168 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Cambridge Road West.
Cambridge Road West167 m
Turn right onto Alexandra Road/B3403.
Alexandra Road128 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Reading Road.
7 m
Exit the roundabout onto Reading Road.
Reading Road372 m
Turn left onto Yetminster Road.
Yetminster Road141 m
Turn right onto Cambridge Road East.
Cambridge Road East62 m
Turn right onto Windsor Road.
Windsor Road141 m
Turn right onto Reading Road.
Reading Road138 m
Turn left onto Peabody Road.
Peabody Road374 m
Turn right onto Queens Road.
Queens Road337 m
Turn left onto Alexandra Road/B3403.
Alexandra Road250 m
Enter St Albans Roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Lynchford Road/A3011.
St Albans Roundabout64 m
Exit the roundabout onto Lynchford Road/A3011. Continue on A3011.
A3011483 m
Enter Queen's Roundabout and take the 1st exit towards A325 (S).
Queen's Roundabout10 m
Exit the roundabout towards A325 (S).
Farnborough Road2.9 km
Enter Wellington Roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Wellington Avenue/A323.
Wellington Roundabout21 m
Exit the roundabout onto Wellington Avenue/A323.
Wellington Avenue408 m
Enter Willems Roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Oberursel Way.
Willems Roundabout72 m
Exit the roundabout onto Oberursel Way.
Oberursel Way102 m
Enter Lime Street Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Lime Street.
Lime Street Roundabout26 m
Exit the roundabout onto Lime Street.
Lime Street154 m
Turn right onto Queens Road.
Queens Road390 m
Turn right onto Sandford Road.
Sandford Road43 m
Turn left onto Alexandra Road.
Alexandra Road430 m
Turn right onto Farnborough Road/A325.
Farnborough Road386 m
Enter Wellington Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Farnborough Road/A325.
Wellington Roundabout97 m
Exit the roundabout onto Farnborough Road/A325.
Farnborough Road2.9 km
Enter Queen's Roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A3011.
Queen's Roundabout172 m
Exit the roundabout onto A3011.
A3011471 m
Enter St Albans Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Lynchford Road/A3011.
St Albans Roundabout41 m
Exit the roundabout onto Lynchford Road/A3011.
Lynchford Road226 m
Turn left to stay on Lynchford Road.
Lynchford Road15 m
Turn left to stay on Lynchford Road.
Lynchford Road54 m
Turn right onto Camp Road.
Camp Road239 m
Turn left onto Queens Road.
Queens Road168 m
Turn left onto Alexandra Road/B3403.
Alexandra Road250 m
Enter St Albans Roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Lynchford Road/A3011.
St Albans Roundabout15 m
Exit the roundabout onto Lynchford Road/A3011.
Lynchford Road368 m
Turn left onto Peabody Road.
Peabody Road233 m
Turn left onto Queens Road.
Queens Road337 m
Turn left onto Alexandra Road/B3403.
Alexandra Road250 m
Enter St Albans Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Napier Gardens.
St Albans Roundabout37 m
Exit the roundabout onto Napier Gardens.
Napier Gardens186 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Queen's Avenue.
24 m
Exit the roundabout onto Queen's Avenue.
Queen's Avenue1.7 km
Turn right onto Alison's Road.
Alison's Road1.1 km
Turn left onto Fleet Road/A323.
Fleet Road521 m
Move left.
28 m
Turn left onto Farnborough Road/A325.
Farnborough Road1.8 km
Enter Queen's Roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Government House Road.
Queen's Roundabout27 m
Exit the roundabout onto Government House Road.
Government House Road56 m
Keep left to stay on Government House Road.
Government House Road451 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Government House Road.
Government House Road387 m
Turn left onto Queens Gate Road.
Queens Gate Road154 m
Enter Queens Gate Roundabout and take the 4th exit onto Queens Gate Road.
Queens Gate Roundabout93 m
Exit the roundabout onto Queens Gate Road.
Queens Gate Road172 m
Turn right onto Government House Road.
Government House Road578 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Aerospace Boulevard.
42 m
Exit the roundabout onto Aerospace Boulevard.
Aerospace Boulevard256 m
Turn right onto Hercules Way.
Hercules Way124 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Farnborough · 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.
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
Watch your lane discipline and signalling at St Albans Roundabout, Wellington Roundabout, Queens Gate 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, 50, 60 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.
Gladiator Way
Start near Gladiator Way.
St Albans Roundabout
Continue to St Albans Roundabout, taking the junction with good observation.
Little Waitrose
Continue to Little Waitrose.
Dunga
Continue to Dunga.
Wesley Chambers
Continue to Wesley Chambers.
New Testament Church of God
Continue to New Testament Church of God.
Truth
Continue to Truth.
Wellington Roundabout
Continue to Wellington Roundabout, taking the junction with good observation.
RE
Continue to RE.
First Flight in the UK
Continue to First Flight in the UK.
Happy Shopper
Continue to Happy Shopper.
St Mark, South Farnborough
Continue to St Mark, South Farnborough.
Farnborough Baptist
Continue to Farnborough Baptist.
North Camp Methodist Church
Continue to North Camp Methodist Church.
Imperial Standard
Continue to Imperial Standard.
Napier School
Continue to Napier School.
Elephant and Castle
Continue to Elephant and Castle.
Ramillies Copse
Continue to Ramillies Copse.
Gorkha Picture Framing
Continue to Gorkha Picture Framing.
Queens Gate Roundabout
Finish back near Queens Gate Roundabout, completing the loop.
14 roundabouts · 15 turns · 1 set of lights
11 roundabouts · 12 turns
14 roundabouts · 10 turns
This route is 43.9 km and takes about 40 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Farnborough Test Centre, not an official DVSA route.