Near Horsforth test centre
Rated moderate from its real manoeuvre load, 2 roundabouts, 20 turns and 6 signalled junctions across 28 navigation steps.
This is an independent 42.0 km practice loop near Horsforth 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 Lawnswood 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, independent driving 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 pubs, churches, named junctions 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 Horsforth 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 106-step drive on real, named roads (about 41.9 km). An indicative practice loop, not an official DVSA route — the roads and junctions are real, the sequence is a rehearsal.
Drive southwest.
46 m
Turn left onto Low Lane.
Low Lane390 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 5th exit onto A6120/Ring Road.
130 m
Exit the roundabout onto A6120/Ring Road. Continue on A6120.
A61201.3 km
Turn right onto Spen Lane.
Spen Lane632 m
Turn right onto Butcher Hill.
Butcher Hill77 m
Turn right onto Moor Grange View.
Moor Grange View265 m
Turn right onto West Park Drive.
West Park Drive107 m
Turn left onto Spen Lane.
Spen Lane365 m
Turn left onto A6120/Ring Road West Park.
A612032 m
Turn right onto Spen Lane.
Spen Lane130 m
Turn right onto Wynford Mount.
Wynford Mount201 m
Turn left onto Wynford Avenue.
Wynford Avenue276 m
Turn left onto Wynford Rise.
Wynford Rise205 m
Turn left onto Wynford Terrace.
Wynford Terrace188 m
Turn left onto Wynford Mount.
Wynford Mount102 m
Turn left onto Wynford Avenue.
Wynford Avenue276 m
Turn left onto Wynford Rise.
Wynford Rise205 m
Turn left onto Wynford Terrace.
Wynford Terrace188 m
Turn right onto Wynford Mount.
Wynford Mount99 m
Turn left onto Spen Lane.
Spen Lane130 m
Move right onto A6120/Ring Road West Park. Continue on A6120.
A61201.2 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 4th exit onto A6120/Ring Road.
97 m
Exit the roundabout onto A6120/Ring Road. Continue on A6120.
A61201.7 km
Enter Lawnswood Roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A660/Otley Road.
Lawnswood Roundabout91 m
Exit the roundabout onto A660/Otley Road.
A660283 m
Turn right onto Weetwood Road.
Weetwood Road209 m
Turn left onto Weetwood Grange Grove.
Weetwood Grange Grove85 m
Turn left onto A660/Otley Road.
A660395 m
Enter Lawnswood Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A660/Otley Road.
Lawnswood Roundabout47 m
Exit the roundabout onto A660/Otley Road.
A660471 m
Make a right U-turn at Lawnswood Gardens to stay on A660/Otley Road.
A660472 m
Enter Lawnswood Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A660/Otley Road.
Lawnswood Roundabout52 m
Exit the roundabout onto A660/Otley Road.
A6601.7 km
Turn right onto St Chad's Drive.
St Chad's Drive192 m
Turn left onto St Chad's View.
St Chad's View96 m
Turn right onto Becketts Park Drive.
Becketts Park Drive73 m
Turn right onto St Chad's Grove.
St Chad's Grove47 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on St Chad's Grove.
St Chad's Grove47 m
Turn left onto Becketts Park Drive.
Becketts Park Drive73 m
Turn left onto St Chad's View.
St Chad's View96 m
Turn right onto St Chad's Drive.
St Chad's Drive192 m
Turn left onto A660/Otley Road.
A6601.2 km
Turn right to stay on A660/Otley Road.
A660482 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto A6120/Ring Road West Park.
6 m
Exit the roundabout onto A6120/Ring Road West Park. Continue on A6120.
A61201.7 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A6120/Ring Road.
34 m
Exit the roundabout onto A6120/Ring Road. Continue on A6120.
A61202.2 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit towards Skipton/Guiseley/Ilkley/Airport.
72 m
Exit the roundabout towards Skipton/Guiseley/Ilkley/Airport.
Rawdon Road151 m
Turn right onto Airedale Drive.
Airedale Drive237 m
Turn left onto Park Drive.
Park Drive149 m
Turn left onto Hall Lane.
Hall Lane293 m
Turn left towards Leeds/Horsforth.
Rawdon Road383 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit towards Leeds/Kirkstall.
43 m
Exit the roundabout towards Leeds/Kirkstall.
A654.1 km
Turn left onto Kirkstall Lane/B6157.
Kirkstall Lane868 m
Turn right onto St Ann's Lane.
St Ann's Lane192 m
Turn right onto St Ann's Close.
St Ann's Close75 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on St Ann's Close.
St Ann's Close75 m
Turn left onto St Ann's Lane.
St Ann's Lane192 m
Turn right onto Kirkstall Lane/B6157.
Kirkstall Lane430 m
Turn left onto Headingley Mount.
Headingley Mount293 m
Turn right onto Ash Road.
Ash Road43 m
Turn left onto Grimthorpe Street.
Grimthorpe Street29 m
Turn left onto Grimthorpe Avenue.
Grimthorpe Avenue41 m
Turn left onto Headingley Mount.
Headingley Mount324 m
Turn right onto Kirkstall Lane/B6157. Continue on B6157.
B61571.6 km
Move left onto Wyther Lane.
Wyther Lane61 m
Move right onto Broad Lane.
Broad Lane229 m
Turn left onto Kirkstall Avenue.
Kirkstall Avenue324 m
Turn left onto Raynville Road.
Raynville Road222 m
Turn left onto Armley Ridge Road.
Armley Ridge Road386 m
Turn right onto Wyther Lane.
Wyther Lane61 m
Move right onto Bridge Road/B6157. Continue on B6157.
B61571.8 km
Turn right onto Cardigan Road.
Cardigan Road953 m
Turn right onto Ashville Road.
Ashville Road201 m
Turn right onto Beechwood Crescent.
Beechwood Crescent512 m
Turn left onto St Michael's Lane.
St Michael's Lane307 m
Turn left onto Stanmore Hill.
Stanmore Hill152 m
Turn left onto Lumley Road.
Lumley Road229 m
Turn right onto Beechwood Crescent.
Beechwood Crescent196 m
Turn right onto Beechwood Road.
Beechwood Road41 m
Turn right onto Beechwood Place.
Beechwood Place41 m
Turn left onto Beechwood Crescent.
Beechwood Crescent379 m
Keep right to take St. Anne's Drive.
St. Anne's Drive386 m
Turn left onto St Ann's Lane.
St Ann's Lane119 m
Turn right onto St Ann's Close.
St Ann's Close75 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on St Ann's Close.
St Ann's Close75 m
Turn left onto St Ann's Lane.
St Ann's Lane192 m
Turn left onto Kirkstall Lane/B6157. Continue on B6157.
B61571.2 km
Move left onto Wyther Lane.
Wyther Lane61 m
Move right onto Broad Lane.
Broad Lane229 m
Turn left onto Kirkstall Avenue.
Kirkstall Avenue324 m
Turn left onto Raynville Road.
Raynville Road222 m
Turn left onto Armley Ridge Road.
Armley Ridge Road386 m
Turn right onto Wyther Lane.
Wyther Lane61 m
Move right onto Bridge Road/B6157.
Bridge Road323 m
Turn left towards Horsforth.
Abbey Road2.5 km
Turn right towards Horsforth.
Hawksworth Road915 m
Move left onto Low Lane.
Low Lane217 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Low Lane.
36 m
Exit the roundabout onto Low Lane.
Low Lane332 m
Turn left onto Springfield Mount.
Springfield Mount24 m
Turn right onto Back Low Lane.
Back Low Lane26 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Horsforth · Route 16 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.
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 Lawnswood Roundabout. Get into the correct lane early and check your exit mirror before leaving.
Dual-carriageway join
About 13.7 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.
Woodside Micro Pub
Start near Woodside Micro Pub.
West Park United Reformed Church
Continue to West Park United Reformed Church.
Lawnswood Roundabout
Continue to Lawnswood Roundabout, taking the junction with good observation.
Otley Old Road The Grange Road
Continue to Otley Old Road The Grange Road.
Otley Road St Chads Drive
Continue to Otley Road St Chads Drive.
Otley Road Churchwood Avenue
Continue to Otley Road Churchwood Avenue.
Ring Road West Park Otley Road
Continue to Ring Road West Park Otley Road.
Horsforth Garden Shop
Continue to Horsforth Garden Shop.
Rawdon Road Airedale Drive
Continue to Rawdon Road Airedale Drive.
Sunnybank Avenue New Road Side
Continue to Sunnybank Avenue New Road Side.
New Road Side Oliver Hill
Continue to New Road Side Oliver Hill.
Abbey Road Norman Mount
Continue to Abbey Road Norman Mount.
Car Smart
Continue to Car Smart.
Kirkstall Brewery Residences
Continue to Kirkstall Brewery Residences.
Church At Amen Corner
Continue to Church At Amen Corner.
South Parade Baptist Church
Continue to South Parade Baptist Church.
Burley Park
Continue to Burley Park.
Drink and Be Grateful Fountain Garden
Continue to Drink and Be Grateful Fountain Garden.
Kirkstall Bridge Road
Continue to Kirkstall Bridge Road.
Bridge Inn
Finish back near Bridge Inn, completing the loop.
4 roundabouts · 19 turns · 1 set of lights
4 roundabouts · 19 turns · 1 set of lights
2 roundabouts · 21 turns · 1 set of lights
2 roundabouts · 18 turns
This route is 42.0 km and takes about 40 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Horsforth test centre, not an official DVSA route.