Near Gloucester test centre
Rated moderate from its real manoeuvre load, 10 roundabouts, 8 turns and 3 signalled junctions across 20 navigation steps.
This is an independent 43.5 km practice loop near Gloucester test centre, taking roughly 30 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 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 shops, pubs, churches and schools, 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 Gloucester 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 108-step drive on real, named roads (about 43.5 km). An indicative practice loop, not an official DVSA route — the roads and junctions are real, the sequence is a rehearsal.
Drive northwest on Falcon Close.
Falcon Close7 m
Turn left to stay on Falcon Close.
Falcon Close12 m
Turn right to stay on Falcon Close.
Falcon Close69 m
Turn right to stay on Falcon Close.
Falcon Close70 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Merlin Drive.
11 m
Exit the roundabout onto Merlin Drive.
Merlin Drive221 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Merlin Drive.
20 m
Exit the roundabout onto Merlin Drive.
Merlin Drive384 m
Turn left onto Welland Road.
Welland Road206 m
Turn right to stay on Welland Road.
Welland Road36 m
Turn left to stay on Welland Road.
Welland Road149 m
Turn right onto Merlin Drive.
Merlin Drive172 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Merlin Drive.
21 m
Exit the roundabout onto Merlin Drive.
Merlin Drive219 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Merlin Drive.
29 m
Exit the roundabout onto Merlin Drive.
Merlin Drive130 m
Turn left onto Bristol Road/B4008.
Bristol Road280 m
Turn left onto A430.
A430150 m
Take the exit on the right.
Bristol Road1.8 km
Turn right onto Tuffley Avenue.
Tuffley Avenue1.2 km
Turn right onto Stroud Road/B4072.
Stroud Road355 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A4173.
59 m
Exit the roundabout onto A4173.
A41731.2 km
Turn left.
78 m
Turn left.
17 m
Turn right onto Stroud Road/A4173. Continue on A4173.
A41731.1 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Stroud Road/B4072.
39 m
Exit the roundabout onto Stroud Road/B4072.
Stroud Road901 m
Turn left onto Linden Road.
Linden Road579 m
Turn left onto King Edwards Avenue.
King Edwards Avenue99 m
Move right onto The Oval.
The Oval317 m
Turn left onto Tuffley Avenue.
Tuffley Avenue307 m
Turn left onto Calton Road.
Calton Road548 m
Turn right onto Tweenbrook Avenue.
Tweenbrook Avenue195 m
Turn right onto Stroud Road/B4072.
Stroud Road1.1 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A4173.
59 m
Exit the roundabout onto A4173.
A41731.2 km
Turn left.
78 m
Turn left.
17 m
Turn right onto Stroud Road/A4173. Continue on A4173.
A41731.1 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A38/Finlay Road.
67 m
Exit the roundabout onto A38/Finlay Road. Continue on A38.
A381.3 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Tredworth Road.
15 m
Exit the roundabout onto Tredworth Road.
Tredworth Road889 m
Turn right onto High Street.
High Street86 m
Turn left onto Hanman Road.
Hanman Road163 m
Turn left onto Slaney Street.
Slaney Street78 m
Turn left onto Tredworth Road.
Tredworth Road1.1 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Reservoir Road.
97 m
Exit the roundabout onto Reservoir Road.
Reservoir Road1.1 km
Turn left to stay on Reservoir Road.
Reservoir Road158 m
Move right to stay on Reservoir Road.
Reservoir Road117 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A38.
29 m
Exit the roundabout onto A38.
A382.0 km
Stay straight to take the ramp.
Cole Avenue96 m
Turn right onto A430.
A43089 m
Take the exit on the right.
Bristol Road2.7 km
Move left onto Bristol Road/B4072.
Bristol Road117 m
Turn right onto Trier Way/A430.
Trier Way1.4 km
Turn right onto Metz Way/A4302.
Metz Way115 m
Move right to stay on Metz Way/A4302.
Metz Way1.3 km
Turn left onto A38/Eastern Avenue.
A38363 m
Turn right onto York Road.
York Road225 m
Turn left onto Durham Road.
Durham Road196 m
Turn right onto Wells Road.
Wells Road87 m
Turn right onto Chester Road.
Chester Road241 m
Turn right onto York Road.
York Road289 m
Turn left onto A38/Eastern Avenue.
A381.2 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A38/Eastern Avenue.
29 m
Exit the roundabout onto A38/Eastern Avenue.
A38353 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A38/Finlay Road.
60 m
Exit the roundabout onto A38/Finlay Road. Continue on A38.
A381.3 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A38.
54 m
Exit the roundabout onto A38.
A382.0 km
Move left onto A38/Cole Avenue. Continue on A38.
A382.4 km
Enter Waterwells Roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Waterwells Drive.
Waterwells Roundabout7 m
Exit the roundabout onto Waterwells Drive.
Waterwells Drive166 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Telford Way.
4 m
Exit the roundabout onto Telford Way.
Telford Way363 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Naas Lane.
7 m
Exit the roundabout onto Naas Lane.
Naas Lane209 m
Enter Naas Lane Roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Bristol Road/B4008.
Naas Lane Roundabout68 m
Exit the roundabout onto Bristol Road/B4008.
Bristol Road1.0 km
Enter Tesco Roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Bristol Road/B4008.
Tesco Roundabout70 m
Exit the roundabout onto Bristol Road/B4008.
Bristol Road1.0 km
Turn left onto A430.
A430150 m
Take the exit on the right.
Bristol Road725 m
Turn left.
108 m
Turn left.
10 m
Turn right onto Bristol Road.
Bristol Road591 m
Continue.
48 m
Take the exit.
A430211 m
Move right onto Bristol Road/B4008.
Bristol Road250 m
Turn right onto Merlin Drive.
Merlin Drive234 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Merlin Drive.
21 m
Exit the roundabout onto Merlin Drive.
Merlin Drive221 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Merlin Drive.
20 m
Exit the roundabout onto Merlin Drive.
Merlin Drive384 m
Turn left onto Welland Road.
Welland Road206 m
Turn right to stay on Welland Road.
Welland Road36 m
Turn left to stay on Welland Road.
Welland Road149 m
Turn right onto Merlin Drive.
Merlin Drive172 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Merlin Drive.
21 m
Exit the roundabout onto Merlin Drive.
Merlin Drive219 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Falcon Close.
55 m
Exit the roundabout onto Falcon Close.
Falcon Close70 m
Turn left to stay on Falcon Close.
Falcon Close41 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Gloucester · Route 8 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.
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 11.5 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, 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.
Burger King
Start near Burger King.
Avenue
Continue to Avenue.
Saint Barnabas
Continue to Saint Barnabas.
Fox & Elm
Continue to Fox & Elm.
Calton Primary School
Continue to Calton Primary School.
Manuels
Continue to Manuels.
New Apostolic Church
Continue to New Apostolic Church.
Saint Aldate
Continue to Saint Aldate.
Hill Fish & Chip Shop
Continue to Hill Fish & Chip Shop.
Johnsons Volvo
Continue to Johnsons Volvo.
Wickes
Continue to Wickes.
All Saints
Continue to All Saints.
Salvation Army - Gloucester
Continue to Salvation Army - Gloucester.
Great Western
Continue to Great Western.
Trinity Baptist Church
Continue to Trinity Baptist Church.
Formula One Autocentres
Continue to Formula One Autocentres.
Bumble Bee
Continue to Bumble Bee.
Haywain
Continue to Haywain.
Khoja Shi'a Muslim Community
Continue to Khoja Shi'a Muslim Community.
Pets at Home
Finish back near Pets at Home, completing the loop.
12 roundabouts · 23 turns · 5 sets of lights
13 roundabouts · 12 turns · 5 sets of lights
11 roundabouts · 11 turns · 5 sets of lights
9 roundabouts · 9 turns · 3 sets of lights
This route is 43.5 km and takes about 30 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Gloucester test centre, not an official DVSA route.