Near Hartlepool test centre
Rated challenging from its real manoeuvre load, 7 roundabouts, 13 turns and 5 signalled junctions across 27 navigation steps.
This is an independent 33.4 km practice route near Hartlepool 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 Asda Roundabout. 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, 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 shops, pubs, stations and named junctions, 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 Hartlepool 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 122-step drive on real, named roads (about 33.5 km). An indicative practice loop, not an official DVSA route — the roads and junctions are real, the sequence is a rehearsal.
Drive south.
23 m
Turn right.
31 m
Turn right onto Mainsforth Terrace.
Mainsforth Terrace92 m
Turn left onto Mainsforth Terrace/A178.
Mainsforth Terrace638 m
Turn left onto Surtees Street.
Surtees Street43 m
Turn left onto George Street.
George Street92 m
Turn left onto Reed Street.
Reed Street43 m
Turn right onto Mainsforth Terrace/A178.
Mainsforth Terrace455 m
Turn right.
3 m
Turn right.
35 m
Turn right.
3 m
Turn right onto Mainsforth Terrace/A178.
A178720 m
Keep right to take Coronation Drive/A178.
Coronation Drive118 m
Keep right to stay on Coronation Drive/A178.
Coronation Drive990 m
Turn right onto Lawson Road.
Lawson Road57 m
Turn left onto Cliffe Court.
Cliffe Court115 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Cliffe Court.
Cliffe Court115 m
Turn left onto Lawson Road.
Lawson Road96 m
Turn left to stay on Lawson Road.
Lawson Road482 m
Turn left onto Victoria Terrace.
Victoria Terrace53 m
Turn left onto Seaton Green.
Seaton Green69 m
Turn right to stay on Seaton Green.
Seaton Green99 m
Turn left onto The Cliff/A178. Continue on A178.
A178608 m
Keep right to stay on Coronation Drive/A178.
Coronation Drive504 m
Keep left to stay on Coronation Drive/A178.
Coronation Drive254 m
Keep right to stay on Coronation Drive/A178.
Coronation Drive118 m
Keep right to stay on A178.
A178702 m
Turn left.
3 m
Turn right.
35 m
Turn right.
3 m
Turn left onto Mainsforth Terrace/A178.
Mainsforth Terrace1.0 km
Enter Church Street and take the 2nd exit onto Church Square/A178.
Church Street25 m
Exit the roundabout onto Church Square/A178.
Church Square155 m
Turn right onto A689/Marina Gateway.
A689214 m
Enter Asda Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A179/Marina Way.
Asda Roundabout48 m
Exit the roundabout onto A179/Marina Way.
A179424 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Middleton Road.
113 m
Exit the roundabout onto Middleton Road.
Middleton Road780 m
Keep left to stay on Middleton Road.
Middleton Road111 m
Make a right U-turn onto Queen Street.
Queen Street891 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto A179/Marina Way.
32 m
Exit the roundabout onto A179/Marina Way.
A179303 m
Move left onto Maritime Avenue.
Maritime Avenue365 m
Turn right onto Victoria Terrace.
Victoria Terrace187 m
Move left onto Mainsforth Terrace/A178.
Mainsforth Terrace744 m
Turn right.
6 m
Turn right onto Mainsforth Terrace/A178.
A178696 m
Keep right to take Coronation Drive/A178.
Coronation Drive118 m
Keep right to stay on Coronation Drive/A178.
Coronation Drive254 m
Keep right to stay on Coronation Drive/A178.
Coronation Drive736 m
Turn right onto Lawson Road.
Lawson Road57 m
Turn left onto Cliffe Court.
Cliffe Court115 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Cliffe Court.
Cliffe Court115 m
Turn right onto Lawson Road.
Lawson Road57 m
Turn right onto The Cliff/A178.
The Cliff606 m
Turn right onto Station Lane/B1276.
Station Lane709 m
Keep right to stay on B1276.
B1276752 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Brenda Road/B1277.
76 m
Exit the roundabout onto Brenda Road/B1277.
Brenda Road29 m
Keep left to stay on Brenda Road/B1277.
Brenda Road13 m
Turn left onto Seaton Lane.
Seaton Lane105 m
Keep right to stay on Seaton Lane.
Seaton Lane416 m
Turn left onto Jutland Road.
Jutland Road13 m
Turn right onto Seaton Lane/B1276.
Seaton Lane309 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A689/Stockton Road.
59 m
Exit the roundabout onto A689/Stockton Road. Continue on A689.
A6891.4 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Brenda Road/B1277.
24 m
Exit the roundabout onto Brenda Road/B1277.
Brenda Road219 m
Turn left onto Windermere Road.
Windermere Road114 m
Turn right onto Haswell Avenue.
Haswell Avenue141 m
Turn left onto Stockton Road.
Stockton Road296 m
Move left to stay on Stockton Road.
Stockton Road499 m
Turn left onto A689/Belle Vue Way.
A689534 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A689/Belle Vue Way.
38 m
Exit the roundabout onto A689/Belle Vue Way. Continue on A689.
A6891.2 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A689/Stranton.
48 m
Exit the roundabout onto A689/Stranton.
A689706 m
Make a right U-turn onto A689/Stranton.
A689720 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 4th exit onto Stockton Road.
94 m
Exit the roundabout onto Stockton Road.
Stockton Road291 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Stockton Road/B1277.
29 m
Exit the roundabout onto Stockton Road/B1277.
Stockton Road284 m
Turn right onto Oxford Road.
Oxford Road374 m
Turn left onto Caledonian Road.
Caledonian Road308 m
Turn left onto Beachfield Drive.
Beachfield Drive136 m
Turn left to stay on Beachfield Drive.
Beachfield Drive75 m
Turn right onto Stratford Road.
Stratford Road16 m
Turn left onto Stirling Street.
Stirling Street231 m
Turn right onto Oxford Road.
Oxford Road471 m
Turn left onto Studley Road.
Studley Road174 m
Turn left onto Russell Walk.
Russell Walk60 m
Turn left onto Southburn Terrace.
Southburn Terrace169 m
Turn right onto Oxford Street.
Oxford Street483 m
Turn left onto Wolviston Road.
Wolviston Road226 m
Turn left onto Stratford Road.
Stratford Road199 m
Turn left onto Stockton Road.
Stockton Road124 m
Turn left onto Stockton Road/B1277.
Stockton Road486 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Stockton Road.
95 m
Exit the roundabout onto Stockton Road.
Stockton Road291 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto A689/Stranton.
21 m
Exit the roundabout onto A689/Stranton. Continue on A689.
A689706 m
Turn left onto Victoria Road.
Victoria Road344 m
Turn left onto York Road/B1277.
York Road314 m
Turn right onto Park Road.
Park Road463 m
Turn right onto Eltringham Road.
Eltringham Road68 m
Turn right onto Stanhope Avenue.
Stanhope Avenue224 m
Turn right onto Osborne Road.
Osborne Road65 m
Turn left onto Park Road.
Park Road596 m
Turn left onto A689/Stockton Street.
A689448 m
Turn right onto Church Square/A178.
Church Square151 m
Enter Church Street and take the 2nd exit onto Church Square.
Church Street29 m
Exit the roundabout onto Church Square.
Church Square46 m
Turn left onto Tower Street.
Tower Street237 m
Turn left onto Huckelhoven Way.
Huckelhoven Way238 m
Turn left onto Lynn Street.
Lynn Street303 m
Turn left onto Church Street/A178.
Church Street191 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Church Square/A178.
25 m
Exit the roundabout onto Church Square/A178.
Church Square106 m
Turn left onto A689/Stockton Street. Continue on A689.
A689836 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Burn Road.
11 m
Exit the roundabout onto Burn Road.
Burn Road261 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Hartlepool · Route 6 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.
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
Watch your lane discipline and signalling at Asda Roundabout. Get into the correct lane early and check your exit mirror before leaving.
Dual-carriageway join
About 7.5 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 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.
Superb Motors
Start near Superb Motors.
Hornseys Bar
Continue to Hornseys Bar.
Hartlepool Interchange
Continue to Hartlepool Interchange.
Asda Roundabout
Continue to Asda Roundabout, taking the junction with good observation.
JP's
Continue to JP's.
McDonald's
Continue to McDonald's.
Seaton Carew Methodist Church
Continue to Seaton Carew Methodist Church.
Sainsbury's Local
Continue to Sainsbury's Local.
Owton Lodge
Continue to Owton Lodge.
Stag and Monkey
Continue to Stag and Monkey.
Greenside
Continue to Greenside.
Belle View Social Club
Continue to Belle View Social Club.
Anchor
Continue to Anchor.
Nationwide Tyres
Continue to Nationwide Tyres.
St Aidan's Church
Continue to St Aidan's Church.
St Cuthbert's RC Church
Continue to St Cuthbert's RC Church.
Victoria Road
Continue to Victoria Road.
Park Road
Continue to Park Road.
Jacksons Arms
Continue to Jacksons Arms.
Cleveland College of Art and Design
Finish back near Cleveland College of Art and Design, completing the loop.
6 roundabouts · 19 turns · 5 sets of lights
13 roundabouts · 13 turns · 8 sets of lights
4 roundabouts · 19 turns · 3 sets of lights
7 roundabouts · 13 turns · 2 sets of lights
This route is 33.4 km and takes about 40 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Hartlepool test centre, not an official DVSA route.