Near Haddington test centre
Rated easy from its real manoeuvre load, 5 roundabouts and 17 turns across 24 navigation steps.
This is an independent 76.7 km practice route 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.
Along the way you'll meet Gladsmuir Roundabout and Haddington Road. 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 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, pubs, schools 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 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.
What you’ll actually do on this loop, counted from its turn-by-turn directions.
This route helps you practise:
Road mix
The full 110-step drive on real, named roads (about 76.7 km). An indicative practice loop, not an official DVSA route — the roads and junctions are real, the sequence is a rehearsal.
Drive west.
27 m
Turn right onto Herdmanflat.
Herdmanflat118 m
Turn left to stay on Herdmanflat.
Herdmanflat120 m
Turn left to stay on Herdmanflat.
Herdmanflat53 m
Turn right to stay on Herdmanflat.
Herdmanflat82 m
Turn right to stay on Herdmanflat.
Herdmanflat145 m
Turn left.
311 m
Turn right.
101 m
Move right onto Dunbar Road/A6093.
Dunbar Road52 m
Turn right.
30 m
Make a right U-turn.
30 m
Turn right onto Dunbar Road/A6093.
A60932.8 km
Turn left onto B6369.
B6369737 m
Turn right to stay on B6369.
B63694.0 km
Turn left onto Main Street/B6355.
Main Street53 m
Turn right onto The Wynd.
The Wynd42 m
Turn left onto Park Road.
Park Road332 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Park Road.
Park Road218 m
Turn left onto Bablins Wynd.
Bablins Wynd72 m
Turn right onto High Street.
High Street168 m
Turn left onto Main Street/B6355. Continue on B6355.
B63556.2 km
Turn right onto Main Street/B6355. Continue on B6355.
B63554.0 km
Turn right onto B6363.
B636390 m
Turn left to stay on B6363.
B63631.7 km
Turn left to stay on B6363.
B63631.5 km
Turn right to stay on B6363.
B63631.4 km
Enter Gladsmuir Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto B6363.
Gladsmuir Roundabout30 m
Exit the roundabout onto B6363.
B636392 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit.
25 m
Exit the roundabout.
22 m
Move left onto B6363.
B636348 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A1.
49 m
Exit the roundabout onto A1/E 15.
A16.3 km
Take the Abbotsview Junction exit.
606 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 4th exit onto A199.
72 m
Exit the roundabout onto A199.
A199103 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A199.
78 m
Exit the roundabout onto A199.
A1991.0 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Aberlady Road/A6137.
5 m
Exit the roundabout onto Aberlady Road/A6137.
A61374.6 km
Turn left.
867 m
Turn left.
681 m
Turn right onto Samuelston Bridge.
Samuelston Bridge67 m
Turn left.
1.7 km
Turn left onto B6368.
B63682.1 km
Turn left to stay on B6368.
B63681.2 km
Turn right onto Dunbar Road/A6093.
Dunbar Road333 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A199.
50 m
Exit the roundabout onto A199.
A19999 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Pencraig Brae/A199.
58 m
Exit the roundabout onto Pencraig Brae/A199.
Pencraig Brae2.5 km
Turn left onto Haddington Road/B1347.
Haddington Road3.6 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Haddington Road/B1347.
26 m
Exit the roundabout onto Haddington Road/B1347.
Haddington Road259 m
Turn left to stay on Haddington Road/B1347.
Haddington Road1.7 km
Move right.
737 m
Turn right.
1.7 km
Turn right.
1.4 km
Turn right onto B1377.
B13772.5 km
Turn left onto Haddington Road/B1347.
Haddington Road259 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Haddington Road/B1347.
23 m
Exit the roundabout onto Haddington Road/B1347.
Haddington Road3.6 km
Turn right onto Pencraig Brae/A199.
Pencraig Brae2.5 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A199.
19 m
Exit the roundabout onto A199.
A199103 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A199.
78 m
Exit the roundabout onto A199.
A1991.0 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Aberlady Road/A6137.
5 m
Exit the roundabout onto Aberlady Road/A6137.
A61371.2 km
Turn left onto Wellside.
Wellside331 m
Turn right onto Longcram.
Longcram126 m
Turn right to stay on Longcram.
Longcram19 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Longcram.
Longcram19 m
Turn left to stay on Longcram.
Longcram126 m
Turn left onto Wellside.
Wellside332 m
Turn left onto Pencaitland Road/A6093.
Pencaitland Road364 m
Turn right onto Clerkington Road.
Clerkington Road224 m
Move right onto Park Lane.
Park Lane245 m
Turn right onto West Road/B6471.
B6471983 m
Move left onto Market Street.
Market Street131 m
Turn right onto Broad Wynd.
Broad Wynd23 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Broad Wynd.
Broad Wynd23 m
Turn right onto Market Street.
Market Street150 m
Turn right onto Hardgate/A6093.
Hardgate85 m
Turn right onto High Street/A6093.
A60931.4 km
Turn right onto Somnerfield Crescent.
Somnerfield Crescent105 m
Turn left onto Somnerfield Avenue.
Somnerfield Avenue121 m
Turn left onto Alderston Road.
Alderston Road117 m
Turn left onto West Road/B6471. Continue on B6471.
B6471623 m
Turn left onto Hospital Road.
Hospital Road92 m
Turn left to stay on Hospital Road.
Hospital Road623 m
Turn right onto Haldane Avenue/A199.
Haldane Avenue489 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Aberlady Road/A6137.
81 m
Exit the roundabout onto Aberlady Road/A6137.
Aberlady Road170 m
Turn right onto Davidson Terrace.
Davidson Terrace187 m
Turn left onto Hawthornbank Road.
Hawthornbank Road29 m
Turn left to stay on Hawthornbank Road.
Hawthornbank Road35 m
Move right onto Davidson Terrace.
Davidson Terrace148 m
Turn left onto Aberlady Road/A6137.
Aberlady Road180 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A199.
98 m
Exit the roundabout onto A199.
A199763 m
Turn right.
159 m
Move right onto Dunbar Road/A6093.
Dunbar Road52 m
Turn right.
30 m
Make a right U-turn.
30 m
Turn left onto Dunbar Road/A6093.
Dunbar Road52 m
Move left.
101 m
Turn left.
148 m
Turn left onto Gourlaybank.
Gourlaybank127 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Haddington · Route 7 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.
Watch for 20 mph zones, crossings and children near 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
Watch your lane discipline and signalling at Gladsmuir Roundabout. Get into the correct lane early and check your exit mirror before leaving.
Dual-carriageway join
About 5.8 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, 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.
St Mary's Roman Catholic Chapel
Start near St Mary's Roman Catholic Chapel.
Tyneside Tavern
Continue to Tyneside Tavern.
Goblin Ha
Continue to Goblin Ha.
Yester Parish Church
Continue to Yester Parish Church.
East Saltoun Parish Church
Continue to East Saltoun Parish Church.
Saltoun Primary School
Continue to Saltoun Primary School.
MacPlants
Continue to MacPlants.
Pencaitland War Memorial
Continue to Pencaitland War Memorial.
Gladsmuir Roundabout
Continue to Gladsmuir Roundabout, taking the junction with good observation.
Angle Park
Continue to Angle Park.
Halfords Autocentre
Continue to Halfords Autocentre.
Burns Family memorial
Continue to Burns Family memorial.
Burns Family Well
Continue to Burns Family Well.
Haddington Road
Continue to Haddington Road, taking the junction with good observation.
Merryhatton Garden Centre
Continue to Merryhatton Garden Centre.
Brand Larder Farm Shop
Continue to Brand Larder Farm Shop.
Compass School
Continue to Compass School.
Haddington Community Church
Continue to Haddington Community Church.
Victoria Inn
Continue to Victoria Inn.
Co-op Food
Finish back near Co-op Food, completing the loop.
5 roundabouts · 19 turns · 3 sets of lights
2 roundabouts · 22 turns · 2 sets of lights
4 roundabouts · 12 turns · 3 sets of lights
2 roundabouts · 22 turns · 4 sets of lights
This route is 76.7 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.