Near Lanark test centre
Rated easy from its real manoeuvre load, 1 roundabout and 25 turns across 29 navigation steps.
This is an independent 47.5 km practice route near Lanark 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 Mains Court and Harelaw 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, 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 parks, shops, named junctions and churches, 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 Lanark 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 150-step drive on real, named roads (about 47.4 km). An indicative practice loop, not an official DVSA route — the roads and junctions are real, the sequence is a rehearsal.
Drive north on Acorn Road.
Acorn Road37 m
Turn right to stay on Acorn Road.
Acorn Road145 m
Turn left to stay on Acorn Road.
Acorn Road12 m
Turn left to stay on Acorn Road.
Acorn Road55 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto A73.
18 m
Exit the roundabout onto A73.
A732.0 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Ladyacre Road/B7017.
45 m
Exit the roundabout onto Ladyacre Road/B7017. Continue on B7017.
B7017392 m
Keep left to take Bannatyne Street/B7017.
Bannatyne Street66 m
Make a sharp right onto High Street/A743. Continue on A743.
A743112 m
Keep right to take St Leonard Street/A743.
St Leonard Street105 m
Keep left to stay on A743.
A743980 m
Turn left onto Stanmore Road.
Stanmore Road119 m
Keep right to stay on Stanmore Road.
Stanmore Road135 m
Keep right to stay on Stanmore Road.
Stanmore Road168 m
Keep right to stay on Stanmore Road.
Stanmore Road142 m
Keep right to stay on Stanmore Road.
Stanmore Road426 m
Keep left to stay on Stanmore Road.
Stanmore Road283 m
Make a sharp left onto A706.
A7061.5 km
Turn left onto Linthill.
Linthill78 m
Turn left onto Laverockhall.
Laverockhall207 m
Turn left.
67 m
Turn left onto Lythgow Way.
Lythgow Way47 m
Turn right onto Potters Wynd.
Potters Wynd335 m
Turn right onto A743.
A743214 m
Turn left onto Waverley Crescent.
Waverley Crescent117 m
Turn left to stay on Waverley Crescent.
Waverley Crescent22 m
Turn right to stay on Waverley Crescent.
Waverley Crescent19 m
Turn right to stay on Waverley Crescent.
Waverley Crescent133 m
Turn right onto A743.
A743214 m
Turn left onto Potters Wynd.
Potters Wynd336 m
Turn right onto Lythgow Way.
Lythgow Way123 m
Turn left onto Westcott Place.
Westcott Place39 m
Move left to stay on Westcott Place.
Westcott Place86 m
Turn right onto Lythgow Way.
Lythgow Way170 m
Turn right.
67 m
Turn left onto Laverockhall.
Laverockhall113 m
Turn right onto Linthill.
Linthill203 m
Turn left onto A706.
A70687 m
Keep right to stay on A706.
A706254 m
Keep right to stay on A706.
A706516 m
Turn left.
24 m
Move right onto Cleghorn Drive.
Cleghorn Drive167 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Cleghorn Drive.
Cleghorn Drive167 m
Move left.
24 m
Turn right onto Cleghorn Road/A706.
Cleghorn Road43 m
Turn left onto Bellefield Road.
Bellefield Road1.1 km
Turn left.
76 m
Turn left.
32 m
Make a right U-turn.
32 m
Turn right.
76 m
Turn right onto Bellefield Road.
Bellefield Road1.1 km
Turn right onto Waterloo Drive.
Waterloo Drive514 m
Turn right onto Mousebank Road.
Mousebank Road28 m
Turn left onto Cartland View.
Cartland View183 m
Turn left onto Nemphlat Hill.
Nemphlat Hill141 m
Turn right to stay on Nemphlat Hill.
Nemphlat Hill55 m
Turn left onto Howacre.
Howacre80 m
Turn left onto Mousebank Road.
Mousebank Road129 m
Turn right onto Wheatlandside.
Wheatlandside198 m
Turn right onto Springfield Gardens.
Springfield Gardens63 m
Turn right to stay on Springfield Gardens.
Springfield Gardens37 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Springfield Gardens.
Springfield Gardens37 m
Turn left to stay on Springfield Gardens.
Springfield Gardens62 m
Turn left onto Wheatlandside.
Wheatlandside198 m
Turn left onto Mousebank Road.
Mousebank Road287 m
Turn left onto Wheatland Drive.
Wheatland Drive294 m
Turn left onto Waterloo Road.
Waterloo Road276 m
Turn right onto Waterloo Drive.
Waterloo Drive184 m
Turn right onto Bellefield Road.
Bellefield Road26 m
Move left to stay on Bellefield Road.
Bellefield Road18 m
Turn right onto Cleghorn Road/A706. Continue on A706.
A706614 m
Turn left onto Bloomgate/A73.
Bloomgate389 m
Move right onto Bannatyne Street/B7017.
Bannatyne Street106 m
Keep left to stay on B7017.
B7017352 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A73.
45 m
Exit the roundabout onto A73.
A73110 m
Keep left to stay on A73.
A73102 m
Keep left to stay on A73.
A73330 m
Turn left onto Home Street.
Home Street179 m
Turn left onto Whitelees Road.
Whitelees Road80 m
Keep left to stay on Whitelees Road.
Whitelees Road650 m
Turn right onto Ladyacre Road/B7017.
Ladyacre Road20 m
Keep right to stay on B7017.
B7017236 m
Keep left to take Bannatyne Street/B7017.
Bannatyne Street66 m
Make a sharp right onto High Street/A743. Continue on A743.
A743112 m
Keep right to take St Leonard Street/A743.
St Leonard Street105 m
Keep left to stay on A743.
A7431.1 km
Keep right to stay on Stanmore Road.
Stanmore Road135 m
Keep right to stay on Stanmore Road.
Stanmore Road168 m
Keep right to stay on Stanmore Road.
Stanmore Road142 m
Keep right to stay on Stanmore Road.
Stanmore Road426 m
Keep left to stay on Stanmore Road.
Stanmore Road154 m
Keep left to stay on Stanmore Road.
Stanmore Road129 m
Move right onto A706.
A706215 m
Turn left onto Stanmore Road/A706.
Stanmore Road2.5 km
Enter Harelaw Roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A721.
Harelaw Roundabout79 m
Exit the roundabout onto A721.
A7212.4 km
Turn right onto Lanark Road/A70.
Lanark Road528 m
Turn left onto School Road.
School Road79 m
Turn left onto Carstairs Road.
Carstairs Road157 m
Turn right onto Railway View.
Railway View43 m
Turn right onto Forrest Lane.
Forrest Lane61 m
Turn left onto Carstairs Road.
Carstairs Road115 m
Move right onto West View.
West View87 m
Turn left onto Lanark Road/A70.
Lanark Road2.7 km
Keep left to take A743.
A743122 m
Keep right to stay on A743.
A7431.1 km
Turn left onto North Faulds Road.
North Faulds Road129 m
Turn right onto Young Road.
Young Road136 m
Turn left onto North Faulds Road.
North Faulds Road129 m
Turn right onto A743.
A7431.1 km
Keep left to stay on A743.
A743862 m
Keep left to take Lanark Road/A743.
Lanark Road146 m
Keep right to stay on Lanark Road/A743.
Lanark Road1.8 km
Turn right onto West View.
West View87 m
Move left onto Carstairs Road.
Carstairs Road200 m
Turn right onto Railway View.
Railway View43 m
Turn right onto Forrest Lane.
Forrest Lane61 m
Turn left onto Carstairs Road.
Carstairs Road115 m
Move right onto West View.
West View87 m
Turn left onto Lanark Road/A70.
Lanark Road1.8 km
Turn left onto Ayr Road/A70. Continue on A70.
A702.2 km
Keep left to stay on A70.
A70694 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto A70.
16 m
Exit the roundabout onto A70.
A70511 m
Turn right onto Hyndford Road/A73.
Hyndford Road163 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto A73.
38 m
Exit the roundabout onto A73.
A7398 m
Keep left to stay on A73.
A73726 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A73.
32 m
Exit the roundabout onto A73.
A732.0 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Ladyacre Road/B7017.
45 m
Exit the roundabout onto Ladyacre Road/B7017. Continue on B7017.
B7017332 m
Turn right onto Woodstock Road.
Woodstock Road214 m
Turn right to stay on Woodstock Road.
Woodstock Road130 m
Keep right to stay on Woodstock Road.
Woodstock Road142 m
Turn left onto St Leonard's Road.
St Leonard's Road17 m
Turn right onto Woodstock Avenue.
Woodstock Avenue101 m
Turn left onto Hospitland Drive.
Hospitland Drive189 m
Turn left onto A743.
A743271 m
Keep right to stay on A743.
A74362 m
Turn left onto Kenilworth Road.
Kenilworth Road74 m
Turn left onto Woodstock Road.
Woodstock Road13 m
Turn right onto Kenilworth Road.
Kenilworth Road195 m
Turn left onto Woodstock Drive.
Woodstock Drive63 m
Turn right onto Woodstock Road.
Woodstock Road104 m
Turn left onto St Leonard's Road.
St Leonard's Road204 m
Turn right onto A743.
A743447 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Lanark · Route 3 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 Harelaw Roundabout. Get into the correct lane early and check your exit mirror before leaving.
Changing speed limits
Limits change across this route (20, 30, 40, 50, 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.
Smell Garden
Start near Smell Garden.
Taste Garden
Continue to Taste Garden.
Touch Garden
Continue to Touch Garden.
beauty Bar
Continue to beauty Bar.
Morrisons Daily
Continue to Morrisons Daily.
Oxfam
Continue to Oxfam.
Mains Court
Continue to Mains Court, taking the junction with good observation.
Christ Church
Continue to Christ Church.
Crown Tavern
Continue to Crown Tavern.
Greyfriars Church
Continue to Greyfriars Church.
Lanark Interchange
Continue to Lanark Interchange.
New Life Christian Fellowship
Continue to New Life Christian Fellowship.
Morrisons
Continue to Morrisons.
Harelaw Roundabout
Continue to Harelaw Roundabout, taking the junction with good observation.
Carstairs Parish Church
Continue to Carstairs Parish Church.
Carstairs Village Green
Continue to Carstairs Village Green.
Village Inn
Continue to Village Inn.
King George's Field
Continue to King George's Field.
Westbank Argricultural Engineers
Continue to Westbank Argricultural Engineers.
Lanark
Finish back near Lanark, completing the loop.
1 roundabout · 23 turns
1 roundabout · 21 turns · 1 set of lights
1 roundabout · 19 turns · 1 set of lights
19 turns
This route is 47.5 km and takes about 35 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Lanark test centre, not an official DVSA route.