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Practice route
ChallengingLoop

Haddington · Route 3

Near Haddington test centre

14.0 km
Distance
35 min
Duration
Challenging
Difficulty
19
Manoeuvres
Difficulty: Moderate

Rated moderate from its real manoeuvre load, 2 roundabouts, 22 turns and 2 signalled junctions across 26 navigation steps.

How this route is examined

This is an independent 14.0 km practice loop near Haddington 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, 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, schools, parks 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 Haddington 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.

11
Left turns
11
Right turns
2
Roundabouts
2
Traffic lights
26
Total steps

Skills & features

10
Roundabouts
20, 30, 40, 60 mph
Speed limits
20
Landmarks

This route helps you practise:

  • Multiple roundabouts
  • National-speed roads
  • 20 mph zones
  • Changing speed limits
  • Residential manoeuvres
  • Busy A-roads
  • Independent driving

Road mix

  • A-roads 4.1 km
  • Residential 3.5 km
  • Minor roads 2.9 km
  • B-roads 2.0 km
  • service_other 0.1 km

Turn-by-turn directions

The full 71-step drive on real, named roads (about 14.0 km). An indicative practice loop, not an official DVSA route — the roads and junctions are real, the sequence is a rehearsal.

  1. Depart:

    Drive west.

    27 m

  2. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Herdmanflat.

    Herdmanflat28 m

  3. Turn left:

    Turn left.

    163 m

  4. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Gourlaybank.

    Gourlaybank148 m

  5. Turn left:

    Turn left to stay on Gourlaybank.

    Gourlaybank11 m

  6. U-turn:

    Make a right U-turn to stay on Gourlaybank.

    Gourlaybank11 m

  7. Turn right:

    Turn right to stay on Gourlaybank.

    Gourlaybank148 m

  8. Turn right:

    Turn right.

    148 m

  9. Turn right:

    Turn right.

    101 m

  10. Turn right:

    Move right onto Dunbar Road/A6093.

    Dunbar Road52 m

  11. Turn right:

    Turn right.

    30 m

  12. U-turn:

    Make a right U-turn.

    30 m

  13. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Dunbar Road/A6093.

    Dunbar Road52 m

  14. Turn right:

    Turn right to stay on Dunbar Road/A6093.

    Dunbar Road333 m

  15. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto A199.

    7 m

  16. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto A199.

    A1991.0 km

  17. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Haldane Avenue/A199.

    51 m

  18. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto Haldane Avenue/A199.

    Haldane Avenue488 m

  19. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Hospital Road.

    Hospital Road624 m

  20. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Hawthornbank Road.

    Hawthornbank Road263 m

  21. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Davidson Terrace.

    Davidson Terrace209 m

  22. Turn right:

    Turn right to stay on Davidson Terrace.

    Davidson Terrace31 m

  23. Turn left:

    Turn left to stay on Davidson Terrace.

    Davidson Terrace52 m

  24. U-turn:

    Make a left U-turn at Davidson Terrace to stay on Davidson Terrace.

    Davidson Terrace481 m

  25. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Aberlady Road/A6137.

    Aberlady Road180 m

  26. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 4th exit onto Aberlady Road/A6137.

    133 m

  27. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto Aberlady Road/A6137.

    Aberlady Road363 m

  28. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Hopetoun Drive.

    Hopetoun Drive104 m

  29. Turn right:

    Turn right to stay on Hopetoun Drive.

    Hopetoun Drive51 m

  30. U-turn:

    Make a right U-turn to stay on Hopetoun Drive.

    Hopetoun Drive51 m

  31. Turn right:

    Turn right to stay on Hopetoun Drive.

    Hopetoun Drive44 m

  32. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Beechwood Road.

    Beechwood Road152 m

  33. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Station Road/B6471. Continue on B6471.

    B6471540 m

  34. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Park Lane.

    Park Lane245 m

  35. Turn left:

    Move left onto Clerkington Road.

    Clerkington Road225 m

  36. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Pencaitland Road/A6093. Continue on A6093.

    A6093864 m

  37. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Court Street/A6093.

    Court Street277 m

  38. Turn left:

    Move left onto Market Street.

    Market Street282 m

  39. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Hardgate/A6093.

    Hardgate805 m

  40. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Briery Bank.

    Briery Bank475 m

  41. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Gifford Road.

    Gifford Road254 m

  42. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Kirk View.

    Kirk View78 m

  43. Turn right:

    Turn right to stay on Kirk View.

    Kirk View143 m

  44. Turn left:

    Turn left to stay on Kirk View.

    Kirk View304 m

  45. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Monkmains Road.

    Monkmains Road35 m

  46. Turn right:

    Turn right to stay on Monkmains Road.

    Monkmains Road42 m

  47. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Monkrigg Court.

    Monkrigg Court26 m

  48. U-turn:

    Make a right U-turn to stay on Monkrigg Court.

    Monkrigg Court26 m

  49. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Monkmains Road.

    Monkmains Road42 m

  50. Turn left:

    Turn left to stay on Monkmains Road.

    Monkmains Road35 m

  51. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Gifford Road.

    Gifford Road50 m

  52. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Briery Bank.

    Briery Bank474 m

  53. Turn right:

    Turn right onto B6369.

    B63691.3 km

  54. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Dunbar Road/A6093.

    Dunbar Road333 m

  55. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto A199.

    7 m

  56. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto A199.

    A199258 m

  57. Turn left:

    Turn left.

    159 m

  58. Turn right:

    Move right onto Dunbar Road/A6093.

    Dunbar Road52 m

  59. Turn right:

    Turn right.

    30 m

  60. U-turn:

    Make a right U-turn.

    30 m

  61. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Dunbar Road/A6093.

    Dunbar Road52 m

  62. Turn left:

    Move left.

    101 m

  63. Turn left:

    Turn left.

    148 m

  64. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Gourlaybank.

    Gourlaybank148 m

  65. Turn left:

    Turn left to stay on Gourlaybank.

    Gourlaybank11 m

  66. U-turn:

    Make a right U-turn to stay on Gourlaybank.

    Gourlaybank11 m

  67. Turn right:

    Turn right to stay on Gourlaybank.

    Gourlaybank148 m

  68. Turn left:

    Turn left.

    163 m

  69. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Herdmanflat.

    Herdmanflat145 m

  70. Turn left:

    Turn left to stay on Herdmanflat.

    Herdmanflat105 m

  71. Arrive:

    You have arrived at your destination.

Directions for the Haddington · Route 3 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.

Schools

Watch for 20 mph zones, crossings and children near these.

  • Compass School

Churches

Useful navigation anchors on the loop.

  • Haddington Community Church
  • St Mary's Roman Catholic Chapel

Parks & green space

Pedestrian crossings and parked cars are common nearby.

  • Angle Park

Pubs

Easy landmarks to navigate the loop by.

  • Gardeners Arms
  • Mercat Hotel
  • Plough Tavern Hotel
  • Victoria Inn

Shops & parades

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

  • Co-op Food
  • Halfords Autocentre
  • Day-Today
  • Greggs

Watch out for

  • Multiple roundabouts

    Approach in the correct lane, signal on the exit before yours, and keep checking your mirrors as you leave.

  • 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.

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. Co-op Food

    Start near Co-op Food.

  2. Compass School

    Continue to Compass School.

  3. Angle Park

    Continue to Angle Park.

  4. Haddington Community Church

    Continue to Haddington Community Church.

  5. Haddington Fire Station

    Continue to Haddington Fire Station.

  6. Haddington Police Station

    Continue to Haddington Police Station.

  7. Halfords Autocentre

    Continue to Halfords Autocentre.

  8. Robert Ferguson of Raith Memorial

    Continue to Robert Ferguson of Raith Memorial.

  9. Tweeddale Monument

    Continue to Tweeddale Monument.

  10. Day-Today

    Continue to Day-Today.

  11. Gardeners Arms

    Continue to Gardeners Arms.

  12. Greggs

    Continue to Greggs.

  13. Haddington Farmers' Market

    Continue to Haddington Farmers' Market.

  14. Haddington Villa

    Continue to Haddington Villa.

  15. Mercat Hotel

    Continue to Mercat Hotel.

  16. Plough Tavern Hotel

    Continue to Plough Tavern Hotel.

  17. Victoria Inn

    Continue to Victoria Inn.

  18. St Mary's Roman Catholic Chapel

    Continue to St Mary's Roman Catholic Chapel.

  19. Tyneside Tavern

    Continue to Tyneside Tavern.

  20. War Memorial

    Finish back near War Memorial, completing the loop.

More routes at Haddington test centre

Route FAQs

This route is 14.0 km and takes about 35 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Haddington test centre, not an official DVSA route.