Near Horsforth test centre
Rated moderate from its real manoeuvre load, 4 roundabouts, 14 turns and 5 signalled junctions across 25 navigation steps.
This is an independent 39.1 km practice route near Horsforth 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.
On this route you’ll practise roundabout approach & exit, 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 pubs, churches, shops 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 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 111-step drive on real, named roads (about 39.1 km). An indicative practice loop, not an official DVSA route — the roads and junctions are real, the sequence is a rehearsal.
Drive southwest on Springfield Gardens.
Springfield Gardens72 m
Turn left onto Back Low Lane.
Back Low Lane52 m
Turn left onto Springfield Mount.
Springfield Mount24 m
Turn right onto Low Lane.
Low Lane334 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Low Lane.
38 m
Exit the roundabout onto Low Lane.
Low Lane214 m
Turn left to stay on Low Lane.
Low Lane797 m
Turn left onto Old Farm Approach.
Old Farm Approach184 m
Turn left onto Old Farm Drive.
Old Farm Drive122 m
Turn left onto Latchmere Drive.
Latchmere Drive148 m
Turn right onto Old Farm Approach.
Old Farm Approach61 m
Turn right onto Butcher Hill.
Butcher Hill474 m
Move left onto Lea Farm Road.
Lea Farm Road352 m
Turn left onto Lea Farm Mount.
Lea Farm Mount73 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Lea Farm Mount.
Lea Farm Mount73 m
Turn right onto Lea Farm Road.
Lea Farm Road58 m
Turn left onto Hawkswood Crescent.
Hawkswood Crescent257 m
Turn right onto Hawkswood Avenue.
Hawkswood Avenue122 m
Turn left onto Cragside Walk.
Cragside Walk85 m
Turn left onto Cragside Mount.
Cragside Mount130 m
Turn left onto Vesper Road.
Vesper Road607 m
Turn left onto Lea Farm Road.
Lea Farm Road37 m
Turn left to stay on Lea Farm Road.
Lea Farm Road30 m
Turn left onto Hawkswood Street.
Hawkswood Street144 m
Turn right onto Vesper Road.
Vesper Road473 m
Turn right onto Cragside Mount.
Cragside Mount130 m
Turn left onto Cragside Walk.
Cragside Walk69 m
Turn left onto Cragside Place.
Cragside Place119 m
Turn left onto Vesper Road.
Vesper Road1.1 km
Turn left onto Spen Lane.
Spen Lane1.2 km
Turn left onto West Park Drive.
West Park Drive107 m
Turn left onto Moor Grange View.
Moor Grange View265 m
Turn left onto Butcher Hill.
Butcher Hill77 m
Turn right onto Spen Lane.
Spen Lane1.2 km
Turn left onto Morris Avenue.
Morris Avenue42 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Morris Avenue.
Morris Avenue42 m
Turn right onto Morris Lane.
Morris Lane1.8 km
Turn left onto A6120/Ring Road West Park.
A612032 m
Turn right onto Spen Lane.
Spen Lane425 m
Turn left onto Iveson Drive.
Iveson Drive690 m
Turn left onto Silk Mill Way.
Silk Mill Way375 m
Turn right onto Oak Park Lane.
Oak Park Lane125 m
Turn left to stay on Oak Park Lane.
Oak Park Lane112 m
Turn right.
118 m
Turn left.
87 m
Make a right U-turn.
87 m
Turn right.
118 m
Turn left onto Oak Park Lane.
Oak Park Lane112 m
Turn right to stay on Oak Park Lane.
Oak Park Lane125 m
Turn left onto Silk Mill Way.
Silk Mill Way375 m
Turn right onto Iveson Drive.
Iveson Drive690 m
Turn right onto Spen Lane.
Spen Lane402 m
Turn left onto A6120/Ring Road West Park.
A612042 m
Turn right onto Spen Lane.
Spen Lane2.6 km
Turn left onto Station Parade.
Station Parade149 m
Turn left onto Vicarage Street.
Vicarage Street119 m
Turn left onto Vicarage Terrace.
Vicarage Terrace95 m
Turn left onto Park Mount.
Park Mount170 m
Turn right onto Morris Lane.
Morris Lane2.4 km
Turn left onto A6120/Ring Road West Park.
A612032 m
Turn right onto Spen Lane.
Spen Lane425 m
Turn left onto Iveson Drive.
Iveson Drive690 m
Turn left onto Silk Mill Way.
Silk Mill Way375 m
Turn right onto Oak Park Lane.
Oak Park Lane125 m
Turn left to stay on Oak Park Lane.
Oak Park Lane112 m
Turn right.
118 m
Turn left.
87 m
Make a right U-turn.
87 m
Turn right.
118 m
Turn left onto Oak Park Lane.
Oak Park Lane112 m
Turn right to stay on Oak Park Lane.
Oak Park Lane125 m
Turn left onto Silk Mill Way.
Silk Mill Way375 m
Turn right onto Iveson Drive.
Iveson Drive690 m
Turn right onto Spen Lane.
Spen Lane402 m
Turn left onto A6120/Ring Road West Park.
A612042 m
Turn right onto Spen Lane.
Spen Lane1.9 km
Turn left onto Morris Avenue.
Morris Avenue42 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Morris Avenue.
Morris Avenue42 m
Turn left onto Morris Lane.
Morris Lane791 m
Turn right onto Kirkstall Lane/B6157. Continue on B6157.
B6157594 m
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.
B61571.2 km
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 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 Ilkley/Horsforth/Airport.
Abbey Road1.3 km
Turn right onto Vesper Walk.
Vesper Walk90 m
Turn right onto Vesper Gate Drive.
Vesper Gate Drive162 m
Turn left towards Leeds/Kirkstall.
A65385 m
Turn left onto Abbey Walk.
Abbey Walk204 m
Turn right onto Spen Lane.
Spen Lane48 m
Turn left onto Morris Avenue.
Morris Avenue42 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Morris Avenue.
Morris Avenue42 m
Turn right onto Morris Lane.
Morris Lane1.8 km
Turn left onto A6120/Ring Road West Park. Continue on A6120.
A61201.3 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit.
34 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Horsforth · 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.
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.
Roundabout
Approach in the correct lane, signal on the exit before yours, and keep checking your mirrors as you leave.
Dual-carriageway join
About 1.5 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.
Dalesman
Start near Dalesman.
Woodside Micro Pub
Continue to Woodside Micro Pub.
Hawkworth Wood Conservative Club
Continue to Hawkworth Wood Conservative Club.
St Mary the Blessed Virgin
Continue to St Mary the Blessed Virgin.
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Continue to Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Catholic Church of the Assumption of our Lady
Continue to Catholic Church of the Assumption of our Lady.
West Park United Reformed Church
Continue to West Park United Reformed Church.
Topolo Pizza
Continue to Topolo Pizza.
Kirkstall Abbey Community Orchard
Continue to Kirkstall Abbey Community Orchard.
Kirkstall St Stephen's Church of England (VA) Primary School
Continue to Kirkstall St Stephen's Church of England (VA) Primary School.
St Stephen's Well Community Garden
Continue to St Stephen's Well Community Garden.
New George
Continue to New George.
Church At Amen Corner
Continue to Church At Amen Corner.
Kirkstall Brewery Residences
Continue to Kirkstall Brewery Residences.
Kirkstall Lane Kirkstall Road
Continue to Kirkstall Lane Kirkstall Road.
Abbey Road Norman Mount
Continue to Abbey Road Norman Mount.
Abbey Road Vesper Gate Drive
Continue to Abbey Road Vesper Gate Drive.
Abbey House Museum
Continue to Abbey House Museum.
McDonald's
Continue to McDonald's.
Woodside Stores
Finish back near Woodside Stores, 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 39.1 km and takes about 35 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Horsforth test centre, not an official DVSA route.