Near Launceston test centre
Rated moderate from its real manoeuvre load, 5 roundabouts, 20 turns and 2 signalled junctions across 30 navigation steps.
This is an independent 103.6 km practice route near Launceston 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.
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 shops, pubs, churches and schools, 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 Launceston 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 104-step drive on real, named roads (about 103.6 km). An indicative practice loop, not an official DVSA route — the roads and junctions are real, the sequence is a rehearsal.
Drive north.
70 m
Turn right.
14 m
Turn left onto B3362.
B3362165 m
Turn right onto A388.
A3881.8 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto A388.
15 m
Exit the roundabout onto A388.
A38845 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit.
43 m
Exit the roundabout onto A30.
A301.2 km
Take the Pennygillam Junction exit onto A388.
399 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 4th exit onto Western Road/A388.
93 m
Exit the roundabout onto Western Road/A388.
Western Road791 m
Make a sharp left onto Chapel Hill.
Chapel Hill131 m
Turn left onto Carboth Lane.
Carboth Lane91 m
Move right onto Western Road/A388.
Western Road335 m
Turn left to take the ramp towards Okehampton/Callington/Liskeard/Tavistock.
A30907 m
Take the Tavistock Road Junction exit onto A388 towards Plymouth/Callington/Liskeard/Tavistock.
340 m
Turn right onto A388/Tavistock Road. Continue on A388.
A388326 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A388.
29 m
Exit the roundabout onto A388.
A38815.5 km
Move right onto Newport.
Newport47 m
Turn left onto Tanyard Lane.
Tanyard Lane43 m
Turn left onto A388/Back Lane. Continue on A388.
A38815.5 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A388.
28 m
Exit the roundabout onto A388.
A388564 m
Turn right onto Tavistock Road/A388.
Tavistock Road810 m
Turn right to stay on Tavistock Road/A388.
Tavistock Road7 m
Turn left to stay on Tavistock Road/A388.
Tavistock Road152 m
Turn right onto Dockacre Road/A388. Continue on A388.
A388539 m
Turn right to stay on A388.
A3881.0 km
Turn right onto Roydon Road/B3254.
Roydon Road342 m
Move right to stay on Roydon Road/B3254.
Roydon Road165 m
Turn right onto Roydon Close.
Roydon Close138 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Roydon Close.
Roydon Close138 m
Turn right onto Roydon Road/B3254.
Roydon Road404 m
Turn left onto Dutson Road/A388. Continue on A388.
A3881.1 km
Turn left onto Cross Lanes.
Cross Lanes1.1 km
Turn left onto Roydon Road/B3254.
Roydon Road569 m
Turn right onto Dutson Road/A388.
Dutson Road75 m
Turn left onto Newport Square/A388. Continue on A388.
A388444 m
Turn left onto Wooda Road/A388.
Wooda Road91 m
Turn right onto Tower Street.
Tower Street16 m
Move left to stay on Tower Street.
Tower Street181 m
Move right.
36 m
Turn right.
98 m
Turn right onto Castle Street.
Castle Street124 m
Turn left onto Tower Street.
Tower Street85 m
Turn left onto Wooda Road/A388.
Wooda Road91 m
Turn left to stay on A388.
A388335 m
Turn left.
84 m
Move right onto Broad Street.
Broad Street115 m
Turn right onto Southgate Street.
Southgate Street69 m
Turn right onto Madford Lane.
Madford Lane151 m
Turn left onto Windmill Hill.
Windmill Hill615 m
Turn right.
50 m
Turn right onto Dunheved Road.
Dunheved Road659 m
Move right onto Westgate Street.
Westgate Street114 m
Turn left onto Dockey.
Dockey78 m
Turn left.
11 m
Move left onto Western Road/A388.
Western Road514 m
Make a sharp right onto Carboth Lane.
Carboth Lane91 m
Turn left onto Chapel Hill.
Chapel Hill133 m
Turn left onto Meadowside.
Meadowside489 m
Turn left onto Upper Chapel.
Upper Chapel135 m
Turn left onto Moorland Road.
Moorland Road321 m
Move left onto St Johns Road.
St Johns Road47 m
Turn left to stay on St Johns Road.
St Johns Road346 m
Turn right onto Western Road/A388.
Western Road120 m
Turn left to take the ramp towards Okehampton/Callington/Liskeard/Tavistock.
A30907 m
Take the Tavistock Road Junction exit onto A388 towards Plymouth/Callington/Liskeard/Tavistock.
340 m
Turn right onto A388/Tavistock Road. Continue on A388.
A388326 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A388.
29 m
Exit the roundabout onto A388.
A38813.8 km
Turn left onto Florence Road.
Florence Road2.0 km
Turn left onto A390.
A3905.3 km
Move right.
493 m
Turn left onto Cemetery Road.
Cemetery Road443 m
Move left.
168 m
Turn left onto A390.
A3905.7 km
Turn right onto Florence Road.
Florence Road2.0 km
Turn right onto A388/Launceston Road. Continue on A388.
A38813.8 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto A388.
15 m
Exit the roundabout onto A388.
A38845 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit.
43 m
Exit the roundabout onto A30.
A301.2 km
Take the Pennygillam Junction exit onto A388.
399 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 4th exit onto Western Road/A388.
93 m
Exit the roundabout onto Western Road/A388.
Western Road376 m
Turn left onto St Johns Road.
St Johns Road167 m
Turn left to stay on St Johns Road.
St Johns Road97 m
Turn right to stay on St Johns Road.
St Johns Road95 m
Turn right to stay on St Johns Road.
St Johns Road346 m
Turn left onto Western Road/A388.
Western Road719 m
Turn left to stay on A388.
A388328 m
Turn right onto Wooda Road/A388. Continue on A388.
A388539 m
Turn left onto Tavistock Road/A388.
Tavistock Road153 m
Turn right to stay on Tavistock Road/A388.
Tavistock Road7 m
Turn left to stay on Tavistock Road/A388.
Tavistock Road795 m
Turn right onto Race Hill.
Race Hill708 m
Move left onto Southgate Place.
Southgate Place19 m
Turn right onto Angel Hill.
Angel Hill82 m
Move left onto Dockacre Road/A388. Continue on A388.
A388539 m
Turn left to stay on A388.
A388335 m
Move right onto Western Road/A388.
Western Road372 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Launceston · 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.
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 66.0 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, 70 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.
Asda Express
Start near Asda Express.
Topps Tiles
Continue to Topps Tiles.
Springer Spaniel
Continue to Springer Spaniel.
Cornish Ancestor
Continue to Cornish Ancestor.
Mustard Seed
Continue to Mustard Seed.
Swingletree
Continue to Swingletree.
Andy's Antiques
Continue to Andy's Antiques.
Catholic Church of St Cuthbert Mayne
Continue to Catholic Church of St Cuthbert Mayne.
Bell Inn
Continue to Bell Inn.
Launceston Central Methodist Church
Continue to Launceston Central Methodist Church.
White Horse Inn
Continue to White Horse Inn.
St Mary's Vicarage
Continue to St Mary's Vicarage.
Windmill Hill Academy
Continue to Windmill Hill Academy.
Launceston Police Station
Continue to Launceston Police Station.
Queens Head
Continue to Queens Head.
cemetery chapel
Continue to cemetery chapel.
Copper Valley Infant and Nursery Academy
Continue to Copper Valley Infant and Nursery Academy.
Delaware Community Learning Centre
Continue to Delaware Community Learning Centre.
Launceston Arms
Continue to Launceston Arms.
Newmarket Inn
Finish back near Newmarket Inn, completing the loop.
5 roundabouts · 23 turns
7 roundabouts · 19 turns · 1 set of lights
8 roundabouts · 17 turns
5 roundabouts · 20 turns
This route is 103.6 km and takes about 40 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Launceston test centre, not an official DVSA route.