Near Gateshead (Elswick) test centre
Rated challenging from its real manoeuvre load, 8 roundabouts, 13 turns and 5 signalled junctions across 25 navigation steps.
This is an independent 51.1 km practice route near Gateshead (Elswick) 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, 20 mph zones, changing speed limits, residential manoeuvres, busy a-roads 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 churches, parks, 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 Gateshead (Elswick) 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 109-step drive on real, named roads (about 51.0 km). An indicative practice loop, not an official DVSA route — the roads and junctions are real, the sequence is a rehearsal.
Drive northeast.
14 m
Turn right.
15 m
Turn left onto Waterside Drive.
Waterside Drive29 m
Turn right to stay on Waterside Drive.
Waterside Drive77 m
Turn left onto Dunston Road.
Dunston Road917 m
Take the A1 exit.
A1577 m
Take exit 69 onto A184 towards Central Newcastle/Central Gateshead.
A1842.0 km
Keep right to take A189.
A1891.2 km
Move left onto Scotswood Road/A695.
Scotswood Road136 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Scotswood Road/A695.
22 m
Exit the roundabout onto Scotswood Road/A695.
Scotswood Road386 m
Turn left onto Dunn Street.
Dunn Street64 m
Turn right onto Penn Street.
Penn Street760 m
Turn left onto Amethyst Road.
Amethyst Road351 m
Turn right.
37 m
Turn right.
88 m
Turn left onto Amethyst Road.
Amethyst Road299 m
Turn left onto Monarch Road.
Monarch Road389 m
Turn right onto William Armstrong Drive.
William Armstrong Drive121 m
Turn right onto Scotswood Road/A695.
Scotswood Road1.1 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Scotswood Road/A695.
23 m
Exit the roundabout onto Scotswood Road/A695.
Scotswood Road69 m
Keep right to stay on Scotswood Road/A695.
Scotswood Road54 m
Move right to stay on Scotswood Road/A695.
Scotswood Road11 m
Turn right onto St James' Boulevard/A189.
A1892.8 km
Stay straight to take the ramp.
A150 m
Keep right to take A1/E 15.
A1821 m
Take exit 70 towards Whickham/Dunston.
378 m
Move left onto Park Terrace.
Park Terrace196 m
Turn left onto Ellison Road.
Ellison Road82 m
Turn left onto Gunn Street.
Gunn Street81 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Gunn Street.
Gunn Street81 m
Turn right onto Ellison Road.
Ellison Road82 m
Turn right onto Park Terrace.
Park Terrace308 m
Turn right to take the A1 ramp.
A1565 m
Take exit 69 onto A184 towards Central Newcastle/Central Gateshead.
A1842.0 km
Keep right to take A189.
A1891.2 km
Move left onto Scotswood Road/A695.
Scotswood Road136 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Scotswood Road/A695.
22 m
Exit the roundabout onto Scotswood Road/A695.
Scotswood Road619 m
Turn right onto Park Road.
Park Road204 m
Turn right onto Cambridge Street.
Cambridge Street563 m
Turn left onto Westmorland Road.
Westmorland Road310 m
Turn left onto Park Road.
Park Road183 m
Turn left onto Cambridge Street.
Cambridge Street563 m
Turn right onto Westmorland Road.
Westmorland Road134 m
Turn left onto Rye Hill.
Rye Hill296 m
Turn left onto Elswick Road/B1311. Continue on B1311.
B13112.4 km
Turn right onto Pendower Way.
Pendower Way477 m
Turn right onto Pease Avenue.
Pease Avenue536 m
Turn left onto Benwell Hill Road.
Benwell Hill Road473 m
Move left onto Saint Cuthbert's Road.
Saint Cuthbert's Road63 m
Turn left onto West Road/A186.
West Road625 m
Turn left onto Grange Road.
Grange Road454 m
Turn left onto Cedar Road.
Cedar Road222 m
Turn left onto Two Ball Lonnen/B1305.
Two Ball Lonnen177 m
Turn right onto Benwell Hill Road.
Benwell Hill Road473 m
Move left onto Saint Cuthbert's Road.
Saint Cuthbert's Road63 m
Turn left onto West Road/A186.
West Road410 m
Turn right onto Pease Avenue.
Pease Avenue536 m
Move right onto Benwell Village.
Benwell Village649 m
Turn right onto Whickham View/B1311.
Whickham View671 m
Enter Denton Road and take the 2nd exit onto Broadwood Road.
Denton Road30 m
Exit the roundabout onto Broadwood Road.
Broadwood Road129 m
Turn left to stay on Broadwood Road.
Broadwood Road247 m
Turn right onto Heathwell Road.
Heathwell Road17 m
Turn right onto Hayleazes Road.
Hayleazes Road317 m
Turn right onto West Vallum.
West Vallum58 m
Turn left onto Broadwood Road.
Broadwood Road172 m
Turn right onto West Road/A186.
West Road229 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto West Road/A186.
20 m
Exit the roundabout onto West Road/A186. Continue on A186.
A1864.2 km
Turn right onto St James' Boulevard/A189.
St James' Boulevard489 m
Keep right to take Scotswood Road/A695.
Scotswood Road72 m
Turn right to stay on Scotswood Road/A695.
Scotswood Road117 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Scotswood Road/A695.
22 m
Exit the roundabout onto Scotswood Road/A695.
Scotswood Road394 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Scotswood Road/A695.
Scotswood Road397 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Scotswood Road/A695.
23 m
Exit the roundabout onto Scotswood Road/A695.
Scotswood Road69 m
Keep right to stay on Scotswood Road/A695.
Scotswood Road54 m
Move right to stay on Scotswood Road/A695.
Scotswood Road11 m
Turn right onto St James' Boulevard/A189.
A1892.8 km
Stay straight to take the ramp.
A150 m
Keep right to take A1/E 15.
A13.3 km
Take exit 72 onto B6317 towards Swalwell/Whickham.
A1350 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Hexham Road/B6317.
42 m
Exit the roundabout onto Hexham Road/B6317.
Hexham Road194 m
Turn left onto Swalwell Bank/B6317.
Swalwell Bank947 m
Turn right onto George Street.
George Street133 m
Turn left onto William Street.
William Street48 m
Turn right.
22 m
Turn left.
27 m
Turn left onto Thomas Street.
Thomas Street41 m
Turn left to stay on Thomas Street.
Thomas Street51 m
Turn left onto Swalwell Bank/B6317.
Swalwell Bank916 m
Turn left onto Hexham Road/B6317.
Hexham Road507 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Derwent Haugh Road/A694.
36 m
Exit the roundabout onto Derwent Haugh Road/A694. Continue on A694.
A694555 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A694.
70 m
Exit the roundabout onto A694.
A694336 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit towards A695/Blaydon/Newcastle.
51 m
Exit the roundabout towards A695/Blaydon/Newcastle.
A694391 m
Take the A695 exit.
Scotswood Bridge479 m
Keep right to take A695 towards Newcastle.
Scotswood Road3.2 km
Turn right onto William Armstrong Drive.
William Armstrong Drive121 m
Turn left onto Monarch Road.
Monarch Road389 m
Turn right onto Amethyst Road.
Amethyst Road351 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Gateshead (Elswick) · Route 2 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.
Expect busier traffic, pick-ups and pedestrians around 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 11.7 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.
Dunston Christian Spiritualist Church
Start near Dunston Christian Spiritualist Church.
Redheugh Bridge Park
Continue to Redheugh Bridge Park.
Kestrel Truck Services
Continue to Kestrel Truck Services.
Elswick Parish Church St Stephens & St Pauls
Continue to Elswick Parish Church St Stephens & St Pauls.
Holmeside Hall Social Club
Continue to Holmeside Hall Social Club.
Toolstation
Continue to Toolstation.
Central Hall Gospel Mission
Continue to Central Hall Gospel Mission.
Mountain of Fire & Miracles Ministries
Continue to Mountain of Fire & Miracles Ministries.
St James Parish Church
Continue to St James Parish Church.
Fox and Hounds
Continue to Fox and Hounds.
Showan Gentleman's Barber
Continue to Showan Gentleman's Barber.
St Bedes
Continue to St Bedes.
St Johns
Continue to St Johns.
Denton Burn Methodist Church
Continue to Denton Burn Methodist Church.
Church of the Venerable Bede
Continue to Church of the Venerable Bede.
Hindu Temple
Continue to Hindu Temple.
Newcastle Coach Station
Continue to Newcastle Coach Station.
Holy Trinity Church
Continue to Holy Trinity Church.
Blaydon RFC
Continue to Blaydon RFC.
Richard Hardie - Alfa
Finish back near Richard Hardie - Alfa, completing the loop.
5 roundabouts · 25 turns · 6 sets of lights
6 roundabouts · 22 turns · 8 sets of lights
9 roundabouts · 23 turns · 8 sets of lights
5 roundabouts · 20 turns · 7 sets of lights
This route is 51.1 km and takes about 35 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Gateshead (Elswick) test centre, not an official DVSA route.