Near Hastings test centre
Rated moderate from its real manoeuvre load, 1 roundabout, 25 turns and 2 signalled junctions across 32 navigation steps.
This is an independent 34.4 km practice route near Hastings 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 Conquest Roundabout and Beauport Park 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 named junctions, churches, stations and parks, 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 Hastings 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 111-step drive on real, named roads (about 34.6 km). An indicative practice loop, not an official DVSA route — the roads and junctions are real, the sequence is a rehearsal.
Drive southeast.
95 m
Turn right onto The Ridge/B2093.
The Ridge143 m
Enter Conquest Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto The Ridge/B2093.
Conquest Roundabout45 m
Exit the roundabout onto The Ridge/B2093.
The Ridge876 m
Turn left onto Harrow Lane.
Harrow Lane1.4 km
Turn left onto A21/Sedlescombe Road North.
A211.1 km
Take the exit.
A2190 m
Move left onto A21/London Road.
A21298 m
Turn right onto A21/London Road. Continue on London Road.
London Road65 m
Keep left to take London Road/A2102.
London Road874 m
Turn left onto Hatherley Road.
Hatherley Road62 m
Keep right to stay on Hatherley Road.
Hatherley Road39 m
Turn right onto Stainsby Street.
Stainsby Street73 m
Turn right onto Station Approach.
Station Approach148 m
Turn right onto London Road/A2102.
London Road537 m
Turn left onto Brittany Road.
Brittany Road358 m
Turn left onto Dane Road.
Dane Road8 m
Turn right onto Brittany Road.
Brittany Road68 m
Keep straight to stay on Brittany Road.
Brittany Road145 m
Turn left onto Upper Maze Hill.
Upper Maze Hill36 m
Turn left onto Pevensey Road.
Pevensey Road50 m
Keep right to stay on Pevensey Road.
Pevensey Road222 m
Turn left onto Charles Road.
Charles Road35 m
Turn right to stay on Charles Road.
Charles Road60 m
Make a sharp right onto Pevensey Road.
Pevensey Road323 m
Turn right onto Upper Maze Hill.
Upper Maze Hill343 m
Turn left onto Albany Road.
Albany Road491 m
Turn left onto Pevensey Road.
Pevensey Road98 m
Move left to stay on Pevensey Road.
Pevensey Road63 m
Turn left onto Upper Maze Hill.
Upper Maze Hill521 m
Keep left to stay on The Green.
The Green471 m
Keep right to take Sedlescombe Road South.
Sedlescombe Road South475 m
Move left onto Battle Road/B2159.
Battle Road3.0 km
Enter Beauport Park Roundabout and take the 4th exit onto The Ridge West/A2100.
Beauport Park Roundabout59 m
Exit the roundabout onto The Ridge West/A2100.
The Ridge West656 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Queensway/A2690.
36 m
Exit the roundabout onto Queensway/A2690.
Queensway104 m
Keep right to stay on Queensway/A2690.
Queensway113 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Queensway Gateway/A2690.
8 m
Exit the roundabout onto Queensway Gateway/A2690.
Queensway Gateway101 m
Keep right to stay on Queensway Gateway/A2690.
Queensway Gateway80 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Whitworth Road/A2690.
25 m
Exit the roundabout onto Whitworth Road/A2690.
Whitworth Road335 m
Keep left to stay on Whitworth Road/A2690.
Whitworth Road60 m
Turn right onto A21/Sedlescombe Road North.
A21158 m
Keep left to stay on A21/Sedlescombe Road North.
A211.0 km
Keep right to stay on A21/Sedlescombe Road North.
A21251 m
Keep right to stay on A21/Sedlescombe Road North.
A211.3 km
Take the exit.
A2190 m
Move left onto A21/London Road. Continue on A21.
A211.8 km
Keep right to stay on A21.
A21320 m
Turn left onto Cornwallis Gardens.
Cornwallis Gardens214 m
Keep left to take Cornwallis Terrace.
Cornwallis Terrace77 m
Turn left onto Braybrooke Terrace.
Braybrooke Terrace639 m
Turn right onto Cornwallis Gardens.
Cornwallis Gardens65 m
Turn right onto A21/Cambridge Road.
A21205 m
Keep left to stay on A21.
A21115 m
Keep left to take A21/Bohemia Road.
A211.2 km
Turn left onto Lower South Road.
Lower South Road141 m
Turn left onto London Road/A2102.
London Road51 m
Turn right onto Springfield Valley Road.
Springfield Valley Road198 m
Turn left onto Combermere Road.
Combermere Road217 m
Turn left onto Tower Road West.
Tower Road West284 m
Turn left onto London Road/A2102. Continue on London Road.
London Road371 m
Turn left onto St. Matthew's Road.
St. Matthew's Road86 m
Turn right to stay on St. Matthew's Road.
St. Matthew's Road140 m
Turn left onto Sedlescombe Road South.
Sedlescombe Road South214 m
Turn left onto St. Matthew's Gardens.
St. Matthew's Gardens122 m
Turn left to stay on St. Matthew's Gardens.
St. Matthew's Gardens140 m
Turn right onto St. Matthew's Road.
St. Matthew's Road16 m
Turn left to stay on St. Matthew's Road.
St. Matthew's Road96 m
Turn right onto A21/London Road. Continue on A21.
A21342 m
Turn left onto Newgate Road.
Newgate Road300 m
Keep right to take Amherst Road.
Amherst Road133 m
Turn left onto Amherst Close.
Amherst Close228 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Amherst Close.
Amherst Close228 m
Turn left onto Amherst Road.
Amherst Road1.0 km
Turn right onto Braybrooke Road.
Braybrooke Road226 m
Turn right onto Braybrooke Close.
Braybrooke Close95 m
Keep left to stay on Braybrooke Close.
Braybrooke Close48 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Braybrooke Close.
Braybrooke Close143 m
Turn right onto Braybrooke Road.
Braybrooke Road389 m
Turn right onto A21/Cambridge Road.
A21231 m
Turn left onto White Rock Road.
White Rock Road125 m
Turn right to stay on White Rock Road.
White Rock Road41 m
Keep left to stay on White Rock Road.
White Rock Road107 m
Keep left to stay on White Rock Road.
White Rock Road16 m
Turn left onto Schwerte Way.
Schwerte Way50 m
Turn right onto A259/Verulam Place. Continue on A259.
A259548 m
Turn right onto Warrior Square.
Warrior Square71 m
Turn right onto St. Margaret's Road.
St. Margaret's Road713 m
Turn left to stay on White Rock Road.
White Rock Road125 m
Turn right onto A21/Cambridge Road.
A21777 m
Turn right onto South Terrace.
South Terrace205 m
Turn left onto Queens Road/A2101.
Queens Road601 m
Enter Park Gates Roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Bethune Way.
Park Gates Roundabout3 m
Exit the roundabout onto Bethune Way.
Bethune Way229 m
Keep right to take Braybrooke Road.
Braybrooke Road838 m
Turn right onto A21/Cambridge Road.
A21205 m
Keep left to stay on A21.
A21115 m
Keep left to take A21/Bohemia Road.
A211.2 km
Turn left onto Lower South Road.
Lower South Road141 m
Turn left onto London Road/A2102.
London Road72 m
Turn left onto Tower Road.
Tower Road42 m
Keep left to stay on Tower Road.
Tower Road133 m
Turn left onto A21/Bohemia Road.
A2139 m
Turn left onto Lower South Road.
Lower South Road141 m
Turn left onto London Road/A2102.
London Road542 m
Turn left onto Alexandra Road.
Alexandra Road52 m
Turn right to stay on Alexandra Road.
Alexandra Road108 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Hastings · 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.
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 Conquest Roundabout, Beauport Park Roundabout. Get into the correct lane early and check your exit mirror before leaving.
Dual-carriageway join
About 10.5 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.
Conquest Roundabout
Start near Conquest Roundabout.
Calvary Chapel Hastings
Continue to Calvary Chapel Hastings.
St Leonards Warrior Square
Continue to St Leonards Warrior Square.
Markwick Gardens
Continue to Markwick Gardens.
St John the Evangelist
Continue to St John the Evangelist.
Independent Church
Continue to Independent Church.
Ebenezer Baptist Chapel
Continue to Ebenezer Baptist Chapel.
Royal Albert
Continue to Royal Albert.
Kwik Fit
Continue to Kwik Fit.
Beauport Park Roundabout
Continue to Beauport Park Roundabout, taking the junction with good observation.
Bartletts Seat
Continue to Bartletts Seat.
St Leonards-on-Sea Methodist Church
Continue to St Leonards-on-Sea Methodist Church.
Dripping Well
Continue to Dripping Well.
St Matthew's Church
Continue to St Matthew's Church.
North Star
Continue to North Star.
Amherst Gardens
Continue to Amherst Gardens.
St Mary Magdalene's Church
Continue to St Mary Magdalene's Church.
Cambridge Hall
Continue to Cambridge Hall.
Hastings Unitarian Church
Continue to Hastings Unitarian Church.
Dripping Spring
Finish back near Dripping Spring, completing the loop.
5 roundabouts · 28 turns · 2 sets of lights
2 roundabouts · 16 turns · 1 set of lights
22 turns · 3 sets of lights
1 roundabout · 18 turns · 1 set of lights
This route is 34.4 km and takes about 40 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Hastings test centre, not an official DVSA route.