Near Gateshead test centre
Rated challenging from its real manoeuvre load, 9 roundabouts, 14 turns and 3 signalled junctions across 26 navigation steps.
This is an independent 75.8 km practice loop near Gateshead 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 Fawdon Interchange and North Park. 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, shops, named junctions 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 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 126-step drive on real, named roads (about 75.8 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.
396 m
Turn left onto Wellington Road.
Wellington Road689 m
Move right onto Ravensworth Road.
Ravensworth Road603 m
Turn right onto Ellison Road.
Ellison Road699 m
Turn right onto Park Terrace.
Park Terrace183 m
Take the A1 exit.
A112.3 km
Take exit 79 onto A1056/(B1318) towards Wide Open/Killingworth/Gosforth/Great Park.
445 m
Move left onto Great Parkway.
Great Parkway509 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Great Parkway.
50 m
Exit the roundabout onto Great Parkway.
Great Parkway456 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto North Park.
83 m
Exit the roundabout onto North Park.
North Park184 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto North Park.
18 m
Exit the roundabout onto North Park.
North Park179 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Great Parkway.
11 m
Exit the roundabout onto Great Parkway.
Great Parkway448 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Great Parkway.
49 m
Exit the roundabout onto Great Parkway.
Great Parkway672 m
Enter Gosforth Park Interchange and take the 5th exit.
Gosforth Park Interchange293 m
Exit the roundabout onto A1/E 15.
A15.1 km
Take exit 76 onto B6324 towards City (West)/Westerhope.
389 m
Enter Westerhope Interchange and take the 1st exit onto Stamfordham Road/A167.
Westerhope Interchange6 m
Exit the roundabout onto Stamfordham Road/A167.
Stamfordham Road449 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Pooley Road.
52 m
Exit the roundabout onto Pooley Road.
Pooley Road86 m
Turn left onto Pooley Close.
Pooley Close94 m
Turn right.
118 m
Make a right U-turn.
118 m
Turn left onto Pooley Close.
Pooley Close94 m
Turn left onto Pooley Road.
Pooley Road641 m
Turn right onto Slatyford Lane.
Slatyford Lane584 m
Turn left 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.
West Road1.1 km
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 the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Denton Road/A191.
13 m
Exit the roundabout onto Denton Road/A191.
Denton Road1.1 km
Turn left onto Whitfield Road.
Whitfield Road52 m
Turn left onto Heighley Street.
Heighley Street126 m
Turn left onto Armstrong Road.
Armstrong Road98 m
Turn right onto Denton Road/A191.
Denton Road991 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Denton Road/A191.
29 m
Exit the roundabout onto Denton Road/A191.
Denton Road244 m
Turn right onto Countess Drive.
Countess Drive358 m
Turn right onto Ormonde Avenue.
Ormonde Avenue133 m
Turn right onto Earl's Drive.
Earl's Drive146 m
Turn right onto Thorntree Drive.
Thorntree Drive126 m
Turn right onto Countess Drive.
Countess Drive121 m
Turn right onto Ormonde Avenue.
Ormonde Avenue262 m
Turn left onto Ronald Drive.
Ronald Drive86 m
Turn left onto Kinnaird Avenue.
Kinnaird Avenue254 m
Turn left onto Countess Drive.
Countess Drive103 m
Turn right onto Brignall Gardens.
Brignall Gardens187 m
Turn left onto West Road/A186.
West Road218 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto West Road/A186.
20 m
Exit the roundabout onto West Road/A186.
West Road580 m
Enter East Denton Interchange and take the 1st exit.
East Denton Interchange7 m
Exit the roundabout onto A1/E 15.
A12.6 km
Take exit 73 onto A694 towards Consett/Whickham/Swalwell.
296 m
Keep left to take A694 towards Blaydon.
154 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit towards A694/Consett/Morpeth.
61 m
Exit the roundabout towards A694/Consett/Morpeth.
A694577 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit towards Rowlands Gill/Consett.
17 m
Exit the roundabout towards Rowlands Gill/Consett.
A6945.1 km
Move left onto Burnopfield Road/B6314.
Burnopfield Road421 m
Turn right onto Stirling Lane.
Stirling Lane379 m
Turn right onto Station Road/A694. Continue on A694.
A6945.6 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Derwent Haugh Road/A694.
24 m
Exit the roundabout onto Derwent Haugh Road/A694.
Derwent Haugh Road197 m
Take the A1 exit.
A12.9 km
Take exit 75 onto A186 towards Hexham/City (West).
319 m
Keep right to take A186 towards Newcastle Upon Tyne (West).
91 m
Enter East Denton Interchange and take the 3rd exit onto West Road/A186.
East Denton Interchange135 m
Exit the roundabout onto West Road/A186.
West Road589 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Denton Road/A191.
41 m
Exit the roundabout onto Denton Road/A191.
Denton Road381 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Whickham View/B1311.
19 m
Exit the roundabout onto Whickham View/B1311.
Whickham View671 m
Turn left onto Ferguson's Lane.
Ferguson's Lane327 m
Turn right.
98 m
Turn right onto Whickham View/B1311.
Whickham View1.0 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Denton Road/A191.
13 m
Exit the roundabout onto Denton Road/A191.
Denton Road1.3 km
Turn right onto Denton Road/A191. Continue on A191.
A191182 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit towards A695/City Centre/Blaydon.
4 m
Exit the roundabout towards A695/City Centre/Blaydon.
A191329 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Scotswood Road/A695.
49 m
Exit the roundabout onto Scotswood Road/A695.
Scotswood Road4.1 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 4th exit onto Scotswood Road/A695.
66 m
Exit the roundabout onto Scotswood Road/A695.
Scotswood Road4.0 km
Turn left onto Scotswood Bridge/A695.
Scotswood Bridge326 m
Keep left to take A694.
Derwenthaugh Road615 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Riverside Way/A1114.
17 m
Exit the roundabout onto Riverside Way/A1114.
Riverside Way72 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Riverside Way/A1114.
46 m
Exit the roundabout onto Riverside Way/A1114.
Riverside Way500 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Riverside Way/A1114.
3 m
Exit the roundabout onto Riverside Way/A1114. Continue on A1114.
A1114769 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A1114.
36 m
Exit the roundabout onto A1114.
A1114539 m
Turn left onto Mandela Way.
Mandela Way585 m
Turn right to stay on Mandela Way.
Mandela Way374 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A1114.
61 m
Exit the roundabout onto A1114.
A1114770 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Scotswood View.
5 m
Exit the roundabout onto Scotswood View.
Scotswood View699 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Scotswood View.
43 m
Exit the roundabout onto Scotswood View.
Scotswood View167 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Scotswood View.
41 m
Exit the roundabout onto Scotswood View.
Scotswood View251 m
Turn left onto Cross Lane.
Cross Lane145 m
Turn right to stay on Cross Lane.
Cross Lane201 m
Turn left.
666 m
Turn left onto Wellington Road.
Wellington Road648 m
Turn left.
76 m
Turn left onto Colliery Road/A1114. Continue on A1114.
A1114644 m
Turn left onto St Omers Road.
St Omers Road295 m
Turn right.
298 m
Turn right onto Waterside Drive.
Waterside Drive77 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Gateshead · Route 17 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.
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 18.9 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 Hill Methodist Church
Start near Dunston Hill Methodist Church.
Fiat Professional
Continue to Fiat Professional.
Fawdon Interchange
Continue to Fawdon Interchange, taking the junction with good observation.
North Park
Continue to North Park, taking the junction with good observation.
B&M Bargains
Continue to B&M Bargains.
St Johns
Continue to St Johns.
St Margaret's Church and Parish Centre
Continue to St Margaret's Church and Parish Centre.
Hair Sanctuary
Continue to Hair Sanctuary.
HSL Your Chair Specialist
Continue to HSL Your Chair Specialist.
Red Kite
Continue to Red Kite.
St Barnabas Church
Continue to St Barnabas Church.
Winlaton Car Sales
Continue to Winlaton Car Sales.
Fat Butcher
Continue to Fat Butcher.
Broadmead Way Evangelical Church
Continue to Broadmead Way Evangelical Church.
Elswick Parish Church St Stephens & St Pauls
Continue to Elswick Parish Church St Stephens & St Pauls.
Richard Hardie - Alfa
Continue to Richard Hardie - Alfa.
Hodgson Mazda
Continue to Hodgson Mazda.
CostCo Fuel
Continue to CostCo Fuel.
MetroCentre
Continue to MetroCentre.
Tudor Rose
Finish back near Tudor Rose, completing the loop.
4 roundabouts · 18 turns · 5 sets of lights
6 roundabouts · 19 turns · 7 sets of lights
9 roundabouts · 16 turns · 4 sets of lights
7 roundabouts · 15 turns · 1 set of lights
This route is 75.8 km and takes about 40 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Gateshead test centre, not an official DVSA route.