Near Hereford test centre
Rated moderate from its real manoeuvre load, 2 roundabouts, 21 turns and 2 signalled junctions across 26 navigation steps.
This is an independent 37.1 km practice route near Hereford 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 Westfaling Street. 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 schools, pubs, shops and stations, 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 Hereford 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 96-step drive on real, named roads (about 37.4 km). An indicative practice loop, not an official DVSA route — the roads and junctions are real, the sequence is a rehearsal.
Drive east.
32 m
Turn right onto Faraday Road.
Faraday Road17 m
Turn left to stay on Faraday Road.
Faraday Road55 m
Keep right to stay on Faraday Road.
Faraday Road
Keep right to stay on Faraday Road.
Faraday Road61 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Faraday Road.
Faraday Road116 m
Turn right to stay on Faraday Road.
Faraday Road115 m
Turn left onto Grandstand Road.
Grandstand Road464 m
Keep left to stay on Grandstand Road.
Grandstand Road812 m
Turn right onto Sandown Drive.
Sandown Drive555 m
Turn left onto Kempton Avenue.
Kempton Avenue540 m
Turn left onto Sandown Drive.
Sandown Drive518 m
Turn left onto Kempton Avenue.
Kempton Avenue541 m
Turn right onto Sandown Drive.
Sandown Drive127 m
Turn right onto Three Elms Road/A4110.
Three Elms Road314 m
Take the exit on the right.
74 m
Move right onto Roman Road/A4103.
Roman Road914 m
Turn right.
13 m
Move right.
51 m
Turn left onto Roman Road/A4103.
Roman Road3.4 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto A480.
6 m
Exit the roundabout onto A480.
A4801.1 km
Turn right onto A438/King's Acre Road.
A438419 m
Turn left onto Breinton Lane.
Breinton Lane853 m
Turn left onto Green Lane.
Green Lane145 m
Keep left to stay on Green Lane.
Green Lane203 m
Keep right to stay on Green Lane.
Green Lane7 m
Turn left.
332 m
Turn left.
93 m
Turn right onto Green Lane.
Green Lane356 m
Turn right onto Breinton Lane.
Breinton Lane852 m
Turn right onto A438/King's Acre Road.
A438418 m
Turn left onto A480.
A4801.1 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Roman Road/A4103.
65 m
Exit the roundabout onto Roman Road/A4103.
Roman Road95 m
Keep left to stay on Roman Road/A4103.
Roman Road2.1 km
Turn right onto Tillington Road.
Tillington Road387 m
Make a sharp left onto Three Elms Road/A4110.
Three Elms Road249 m
Take the exit on the right.
74 m
Move right onto Roman Road/A4103.
Roman Road914 m
Turn right.
13 m
Move right.
51 m
Turn left onto Roman Road/A4103.
Roman Road935 m
Turn left onto Three Elms Road/A4110.
Three Elms Road1.2 km
Turn right onto Ferndale Road.
Ferndale Road346 m
Turn right onto A438/King's Acre Road.
A438165 m
Turn right onto Hillary Drive.
Hillary Drive181 m
Turn right onto Everest Crescent.
Everest Crescent114 m
Turn right onto Irvine Close.
Irvine Close51 m
Turn left onto Hillary Drive.
Hillary Drive96 m
Turn left onto A438/King's Acre Road.
A438590 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A438/Whitecross Road.
48 m
Exit the roundabout onto A438/Whitecross Road. Continue on A438.
A4381.5 km
Move left onto A49/Victoria Street.
A49103 m
Enter Edgar Street Roundabout and take the 2nd exit.
Edgar Street Roundabout154 m
Exit the roundabout onto A49/Victoria Street.
A4940 m
Move left to stay on A49/Victoria Street.
A49152 m
Turn left onto West Street.
West Street203 m
Turn right onto Broad Street.
Broad Street164 m
Turn right onto King Street.
King Street117 m
Turn right onto St Nicholas Street.
St Nicholas Street112 m
Turn right onto A49/Victoria Street.
A49293 m
Turn left onto A438/Eign Street. Continue on A438.
A4381.5 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A438/King's Acre Road.
29 m
Exit the roundabout onto A438/King's Acre Road.
A438430 m
Turn right onto Ferndale Road.
Ferndale Road346 m
Turn left onto Three Elms Road/A4110.
Three Elms Road117 m
Turn left onto Bonington Drive.
Bonington Drive375 m
Turn left onto Hillary Drive.
Hillary Drive278 m
Turn left onto A438/King's Acre Road.
A438590 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A438/Whitecross Road.
48 m
Exit the roundabout onto A438/Whitecross Road.
A4381.5 km
Move left onto A49/Victoria Street.
A49103 m
Enter Edgar Street Roundabout and take the 1st exit onto A49/Edgar Street.
Edgar Street Roundabout17 m
Exit the roundabout onto A49/Edgar Street.
A49295 m
Keep right to stay on A49/Edgar Street.
A49449 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto A49/Newtown Road.
1 m
Exit the roundabout onto A49/Newtown Road. Continue on A49.
A49384 m
Turn right onto A49/Holmer Road.
A49555 m
Keep straight to stay on A49/Holmer Road.
A4965 m
Turn right.
24 m
Turn right.
23 m
Turn left onto A49/Holmer Road.
A4943 m
Keep left to stay on A49/Holmer Road.
A49567 m
Turn right onto Priory Place.
Priory Place100 m
Move right onto Grandstand Road.
Grandstand Road837 m
Turn left onto Yazor Road.
Yazor Road791 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Wordsworth Road.
35 m
Exit the roundabout onto Wordsworth Road.
Wordsworth Road304 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Westfaling Street.
19 m
Exit the roundabout onto Westfaling Street.
Westfaling Street812 m
Turn left onto White Horse Street.
White Horse Street435 m
Turn left onto A438/Whitecross Road.
A438801 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 4th exit onto Yazor Road.
70 m
Exit the roundabout onto Yazor Road.
Yazor Road395 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Hereford · Route 4 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
Approach in the correct lane, signal on the exit before yours, and keep checking your mirrors as you leave.
Dual-carriageway join
About 11.1 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.
Brookfield School
Start near Brookfield School.
Grandstand
Continue to Grandstand.
Co-operative Food
Continue to Co-operative Food.
Halt Garage
Continue to Halt Garage.
Three Elms
Continue to Three Elms.
Tesco Express
Continue to Tesco Express.
Yazor Store
Continue to Yazor Store.
City Bus Station
Continue to City Bus Station.
Queens Arms
Continue to Queens Arms.
Saint Nicholas
Continue to Saint Nicholas.
St Francis Xavier
Continue to St Francis Xavier.
Co-op Food
Continue to Co-op Food.
Holy Trinity
Continue to Holy Trinity.
Christadelphian Hall
Continue to Christadelphian Hall.
Christian Life Centre
Continue to Christian Life Centre.
Golden Lion
Continue to Golden Lion.
St Mary
Continue to St Mary.
Mace
Continue to Mace.
Westfaling Street
Continue to Westfaling Street, taking the junction with good observation.
Bargain Booze
Finish back near Bargain Booze, completing the loop.
8 roundabouts · 17 turns · 4 sets of lights
8 roundabouts · 24 turns · 2 sets of lights
7 roundabouts · 13 turns · 5 sets of lights
10 roundabouts · 16 turns · 1 set of lights
This route is 37.1 km and takes about 35 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Hereford test centre, not an official DVSA route.