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Practice route
ChallengingLoop

Fraserburgh · Route 1

Near Fraserburgh test centre

22.6 km
Distance
35 min
Duration
Challenging
Difficulty
19
Manoeuvres
Difficulty: Easy

Rated easy from its real manoeuvre load, 3 roundabouts and 20 turns across 25 navigation steps.

How this route is examined

This is an independent 22.6 km practice loop near Fraserburgh 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.

On this route you’ll practise multiple roundabouts, dual-carriageway joins, national-speed roads, 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 pubs, 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 Fraserburgh 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.

Manoeuvre breakdown

What you’ll actually do on this loop, counted from its turn-by-turn directions.

9
Left turns
11
Right turns
3
Roundabouts
0
Traffic lights
25
Total steps

Skills & features

7
Roundabouts
6.5 km
Dual carriageway
30, 40, 60 mph
Speed limits
20
Landmarks

This route helps you practise:

  • Multiple roundabouts
  • Dual-carriageway joins
  • National-speed roads
  • Changing speed limits
  • Residential manoeuvres
  • Busy A-roads
  • Independent driving
  • Sustained concentration

Road mix

  • A-roads 8.6 km
  • Trunk roads 6.5 km
  • Residential 3.2 km
  • B-roads 3.0 km
  • service_other 0.1 km

Turn-by-turn directions

The full 58-step drive on real, named roads (about 22.6 km). An indicative practice loop, not an official DVSA route — the roads and junctions are real, the sequence is a rehearsal.

  1. Depart:

    Drive north on Dalrymple Street/A98.

    Dalrymple Street246 m

  2. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Kirk Brae.

    Kirk Brae30 m

  3. Turn right:

    Turn right to stay on Kirk Brae.

    Kirk Brae40 m

  4. Turn left:

    Turn left to stay on Kirk Brae.

    Kirk Brae39 m

  5. Turn left:

    Turn left to stay on Kirk Brae.

    Kirk Brae20 m

  6. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Broad Street/A98.

    Broad Street160 m

  7. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Frithside Street.

    Frithside Street49 m

  8. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Shore Street.

    Shore Street298 m

  9. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Duke Street.

    Duke Street270 m

  10. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Barrasgate Road.

    Barrasgate Road105 m

  11. Turn left:

    Turn left onto High Street/A98.

    High Street254 m

  12. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Broad Street/A98.

    Broad Street160 m

  13. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Frithside Street.

    Frithside Street127 m

  14. Turn right:

    Turn right onto A90/Cross Street.

    A90221 m

  15. Turn left:

    Move left onto High Street/A98. Continue on A98.

    A98422 m

  16. Turn right:

    Turn right onto George Street.

    George Street252 m

  17. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Gaw Street.

    Gaw Street111 m

  18. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Bawdley Head.

    Bawdley Head44 m

  19. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Scatha Ritchie Place.

    Scatha Ritchie Place131 m

  20. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Bawdley Head.

    Bawdley Head55 m

  21. Turn left:

    Move left onto Gaw Street.

    Gaw Street232 m

  22. Turn right:

    Turn right onto George Street.

    George Street252 m

  23. Turn left:

    Turn left onto College Bounds/A98. Continue on A98.

    A98553 m

  24. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Broad Street/A98.

    Broad Street160 m

  25. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Frithside Street.

    Frithside Street127 m

  26. Turn right:

    Turn right onto A90/Cross Street.

    A90221 m

  27. Turn left:

    Move left onto High Street/A98. Continue on A98.

    A98857 m

  28. Turn right:

    Turn right.

    20 m

  29. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Watermill Road.

    Watermill Road11 m

  30. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Walker Crescent.

    Walker Crescent69 m

  31. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Westshore Gardens.

    Westshore Gardens223 m

  32. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Marconi Terrace.

    Marconi Terrace90 m

  33. Turn left:

    Turn left onto College Bounds/A98. Continue on A98.

    A98790 m

  34. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Broad Street/A98.

    Broad Street386 m

  35. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Victoria Street/B9034.

    Victoria Street113 m

  36. Turn left:

    Turn left onto A90/Saltoun Place.

    A90318 m

  37. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Strichen Road/A981.

    Strichen Road1.5 km

  38. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A981.

    89 m

  39. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto A981.

    A9813.2 km

  40. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Muir Road/B9032. Continue on B9032.

    B90322.8 km

  41. Turn left:

    Turn left onto A90.

    A904.0 km

  42. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit towards Fraserburgh.

    40 m

  43. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout towards Fraserburgh.

    A901.6 km

  44. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Mid Street.

    Mid Street119 m

  45. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Broad Street/A98.

    Broad Street85 m

  46. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Frithside Street.

    Frithside Street247 m

  47. Turn right:

    Turn right onto School Street.

    School Street93 m

  48. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Mid Street.

    Mid Street96 m

  49. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Charlotte Street.

    Charlotte Street124 m

  50. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Commerce Street.

    Commerce Street228 m

  51. Turn left:

    Turn left onto A90/Cross Street.

    A90164 m

  52. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Mid Street.

    Mid Street119 m

  53. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Broad Street/A98.

    Broad Street85 m

  54. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Frithside Street.

    Frithside Street127 m

  55. Turn right:

    Turn right onto A90/Cross Street.

    A9098 m

  56. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Mid Street.

    Mid Street119 m

  57. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Broad Street/A98.

    Broad Street46 m

  58. Arrive:

    You have arrived at your destination.

Directions for the Fraserburgh · Route 1 loop. Always drive to the road and conditions you see, not the list — signs, signals and other traffic take priority.

Local roads & landmarks

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.

Churches

Useful navigation anchors on the loop.

  • Old Parish Church
  • Fraserburgh South Parish Church
  • Fraserburgh United Reformed Church
  • Salvation Army - Fraserburgh
  • Our Lady Star of the Sea and St Drostan's

Pubs

Easy landmarks to navigate the loop by.

  • Balaclava Bar
  • Ship Inn
  • Bellslea Bar
  • Station Hotel

Shops & parades

Frequent stop-start traffic and pedestrians, keep your speed down.

  • Envy Hair & Beauty
  • Mancave
  • Rodgers Electriccal
  • Lana

Watch out for

  • 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 6.5 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 (30, 40, 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.

Drive it: landmark by landmark

Navigate by these 20 catalogued landmarks rather than a memorised turn list, an indicative loop, not an official DVSA route.

  1. Balaclava Bar

    Start near Balaclava Bar.

  2. Old Parish Church

    Continue to Old Parish Church.

  3. Ship Inn

    Continue to Ship Inn.

  4. Envy Hair & Beauty

    Continue to Envy Hair & Beauty.

  5. Mancave

    Continue to Mancave.

  6. Rodgers Electriccal

    Continue to Rodgers Electriccal.

  7. Lana

    Continue to Lana.

  8. Stephens Newsagents

    Continue to Stephens Newsagents.

  9. Fraserburgh Funeral Services

    Continue to Fraserburgh Funeral Services.

  10. Scotmid

    Continue to Scotmid.

  11. Bellslea Bar

    Continue to Bellslea Bar.

  12. Fraserburgh South Parish Church

    Continue to Fraserburgh South Parish Church.

  13. Station Hotel

    Continue to Station Hotel.

  14. Fraserburgh War Memorial

    Continue to Fraserburgh War Memorial.

  15. Broch Tandoori and Kebab

    Continue to Broch Tandoori and Kebab.

  16. Fraserburgh United Reformed Church

    Continue to Fraserburgh United Reformed Church.

  17. Salvation Army - Fraserburgh

    Continue to Salvation Army - Fraserburgh.

  18. C&A West

    Continue to C&A West.

  19. C. & J's Corner Shop

    Continue to C. & J's Corner Shop.

  20. Our Lady Star of the Sea and St Drostan's

    Finish back near Our Lady Star of the Sea and St Drostan's, completing the loop.

More routes at Fraserburgh test centre

Route FAQs

This route is 22.6 km and takes about 35 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Fraserburgh test centre, not an official DVSA route.