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Practice route
ChallengingLoop

Leicester · Route 8

Near Leicester test centre

43.1 km
Distance
45 min
Duration
Challenging
Difficulty
19
Manoeuvres
Difficulty: Demanding

Rated demanding from its real manoeuvre load, 14 roundabouts, 11 turns and 2 signalled junctions across 28 navigation steps.

How this route is examined

This is an independent 43.1 km practice loop near Leicester test centre, taking roughly 45 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, 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 schools, churches, pubs and shops, 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 Leicester 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.

Manoeuvre breakdown

What you’ll actually do on this loop, counted from its turn-by-turn directions.

7
Left turns
4
Right turns
14
Roundabouts
2
Traffic lights
28
Total steps

Skills & features

7
Roundabouts
1.2 km
Dual carriageway
30, 40, 50, 60 mph
Speed limits
20
Landmarks

This route helps you practise:

  • Multiple roundabouts
  • Dual-carriageway joins
  • National-speed roads
  • Changing speed limits
  • Residential manoeuvres
  • Busy A-roads
  • Independent driving
  • Sustained concentration

Road mix

  • B-roads 15.2 km
  • A-roads 10.9 km
  • Minor roads 8.7 km
  • Residential 5.5 km
  • Trunk roads 1.2 km
  • service_other 0.1 km

Turn-by-turn directions

The full 99-step drive on real, named roads (about 43.1 km). An indicative practice loop, not an official DVSA route — the roads and junctions are real, the sequence is a rehearsal.

  1. Depart:

    Drive east.

    10 m

  2. Turn right:

    Turn right.

    39 m

  3. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Tigers Road.

    Tigers Road41 m

  4. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Saffron Road/B5366.

    Saffron Road405 m

  5. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Namur Road.

    Namur Road105 m

  6. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Ladysmith Road.

    Ladysmith Road98 m

  7. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Hindoostan Avenue.

    Hindoostan Avenue190 m

  8. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Crete Avenue.

    Crete Avenue30 m

  9. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Saffron Road/B5366.

    Saffron Road655 m

  10. Turn right:

    Turn right onto St Thomas Road/B582. Continue on B582.

    B5821.8 km

  11. Turn right:

    Turn right.

    70 m

  12. Turn left:

    Turn left.

    12 m

  13. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Little Glen Road/B582.

    Little Glen Road1.3 km

  14. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Richmond Drive.

    Richmond Drive310 m

  15. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Windsor Avenue.

    Windsor Avenue141 m

  16. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Little Glen Road/B582.

    Little Glen Road1.6 km

  17. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Leicester Road/A426. Continue on A426.

    A426381 m

  18. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Glenville Avenue.

    Glenville Avenue201 m

  19. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Court Road.

    Court Road119 m

  20. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Howard Road.

    Howard Road67 m

  21. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Glenville Avenue.

    Glenville Avenue281 m

  22. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Leicester Road/A426. Continue on A426.

    A426714 m

  23. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Blaby Bypass/A426.

    25 m

  24. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto Blaby Bypass/A426.

    Blaby Bypass632 m

  25. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto B582.

    94 m

  26. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto B582.

    B582280 m

  27. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Trinity Road.

    Trinity Road373 m

  28. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Attfield Drive.

    Attfield Drive623 m

  29. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Brook Street.

    Brook Street919 m

  30. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Enderby Road/B582. Continue on B582.

    B582393 m

  31. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Blaby Bypass/A426.

    16 m

  32. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto Blaby Bypass/A426.

    Blaby Bypass640 m

  33. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Leicester Road/A426.

    5 m

  34. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto Leicester Road/A426.

    Leicester Road332 m

  35. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Little Glen Road/B582. Continue on B582.

    B5821.9 km

  36. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Saffron Road/B5366.

    Saffron Road788 m

  37. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Gloucester Crescent.

    Gloucester Crescent1.3 km

  38. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Durham Drive.

    Durham Drive337 m

  39. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Glenborne Road.

    Glenborne Road93 m

  40. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Stonesby Avenue/B5418.

    Stonesby Avenue1.0 km

  41. Roundabout:

    Enter Pork Pie Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A563/Glenhills Way.

    Pork Pie Roundabout43 m

  42. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto A563/Glenhills Way.

    A5631.2 km

  43. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Lutterworth Road/A426. Continue on A426.

    A4262.0 km

  44. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Blaby Bypass/A426.

    25 m

  45. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto Blaby Bypass/A426.

    Blaby Bypass632 m

  46. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Blaby Bypass/A426.

    49 m

  47. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto Blaby Bypass/A426.

    Blaby Bypass773 m

  48. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Blaby Bypass/A426.

    57 m

  49. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto Blaby Bypass/A426.

    Blaby Bypass745 m

  50. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Wychwood Road.

    78 m

  51. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto Wychwood Road.

    Wychwood Road109 m

  52. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Laundon Way.

    Laundon Way217 m

  53. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Burnham Drive.

    Burnham Drive583 m

  54. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Cambridge Road.

    5 m

  55. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto Cambridge Road.

    Cambridge Road486 m

  56. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Dog and Gun Lane.

    Dog and Gun Lane629 m

  57. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Wychwood Road.

    2 m

  58. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto Wychwood Road.

    Wychwood Road399 m

  59. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Blaby Bypass/A426.

    6 m

  60. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto Blaby Bypass/A426.

    Blaby Bypass744 m

  61. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Blaby Bypass/A426.

    59 m

  62. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto Blaby Bypass/A426.

    Blaby Bypass779 m

  63. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Blaby Bypass/A426.

    61 m

  64. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto Blaby Bypass/A426.

    Blaby Bypass640 m

  65. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Leicester Road/A426.

    5 m

  66. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto Leicester Road/A426.

    Leicester Road332 m

  67. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Little Glen Road/B582. Continue on B582.

    B5822.3 km

  68. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Canal Street.

    Canal Street86 m

  69. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Bassett Street.

    Bassett Street288 m

  70. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Countesthorpe Road.

    Countesthorpe Road80 m

  71. Turn left:

    Turn left onto St Thomas Road/B582. Continue on B582.

    B5822.0 km

  72. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Leicester Road/A426. Continue on A426.

    A426381 m

  73. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Glenville Avenue.

    Glenville Avenue201 m

  74. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Court Road.

    Court Road119 m

  75. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Howard Road.

    Howard Road67 m

  76. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Glenville Avenue.

    Glenville Avenue281 m

  77. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Leicester Road/A426. Continue on A426.

    A426714 m

  78. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Leicester Road.

    2 m

  79. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto Leicester Road.

    Leicester Road195 m

  80. Turn left:

    Move left onto Sycamore Street.

    Sycamore Street810 m

  81. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Hospital Lane.

    Hospital Lane180 m

  82. U-turn:

    Make a right U-turn at Hospital Lane to stay on Hospital Lane.

    Hospital Lane168 m

  83. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Winchester Road.

    Winchester Road114 m

  84. U-turn:

    Make a right U-turn at Winchester Road to stay on Winchester Road.

    Winchester Road150 m

  85. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Hospital Lane.

    Hospital Lane1.9 km

  86. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Countesthorpe Road.

    Countesthorpe Road1.2 km

  87. Turn left:

    Move left onto Lansdowne Grove.

    Lansdowne Grove146 m

  88. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Countesthorpe Road.

    Countesthorpe Road166 m

  89. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Garden Street.

    Garden Street167 m

  90. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Canal Street.

    Canal Street342 m

  91. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Blaby Road/B582. Continue on B582.

    B582391 m

  92. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Saffron Road/B5366.

    Saffron Road906 m

  93. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Namur Road.

    Namur Road105 m

  94. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Ladysmith Road.

    Ladysmith Road98 m

  95. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Hindoostan Avenue.

    Hindoostan Avenue190 m

  96. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Crete Avenue.

    Crete Avenue30 m

  97. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Saffron Road/B5366.

    Saffron Road154 m

  98. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Tigers Road.

    Tigers Road100 m

  99. Arrive:

    You have arrived at your destination.

Directions for the Leicester · Route 8 loop. Always drive to the road and conditions you see, not the list — signs, signals and other traffic take priority.

Local roads & landmarks

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.

Schools

Watch for 20 mph zones, crossings and children near these.

  • Busy Bees Leicester South Wigston
  • Play Days Academy
  • Lilliput Montessori Day Nursery
  • Happy Days
  • South Leicester College

Churches

Useful navigation anchors on the loop.

  • Salvation Army - Leicester South
  • Christ Gospel Church
  • United Reform Church
  • Whetstone Bapist Church
  • South Wigston Congregational Church

Pubs

Easy landmarks to navigate the loop by.

  • Glenhills Sports And Social Club
  • Old Vicarage
  • Bull's Head
  • Lime Tree

Shops & parades

Frequent stop-start traffic and pedestrians, keep your speed down.

  • News And Booze
  • S&D Enterprise
  • Chamneys Garden Centre

Watch out for

  • 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 1.2 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 (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.

Drive it: landmark by landmark

Navigate by these 20 catalogued landmarks rather than a memorised turn list, an indicative loop, not an official DVSA route.

  1. Busy Bees Leicester South Wigston

    Start near Busy Bees Leicester South Wigston.

  2. Salvation Army - Leicester South

    Continue to Salvation Army - Leicester South.

  3. Play Days Academy

    Continue to Play Days Academy.

  4. Glenhills Sports And Social Club

    Continue to Glenhills Sports And Social Club.

  5. Old Vicarage

    Continue to Old Vicarage.

  6. Bull's Head

    Continue to Bull's Head.

  7. Lilliput Montessori Day Nursery

    Continue to Lilliput Montessori Day Nursery.

  8. News And Booze

    Continue to News And Booze.

  9. Christ Gospel Church

    Continue to Christ Gospel Church.

  10. United Reform Church

    Continue to United Reform Church.

  11. S&D Enterprise

    Continue to S&D Enterprise.

  12. Chamneys Garden Centre

    Continue to Chamneys Garden Centre.

  13. Lime Tree

    Continue to Lime Tree.

  14. Whetstone Bapist Church

    Continue to Whetstone Bapist Church.

  15. Happy Days

    Continue to Happy Days.

  16. South Wigston Congregational Church

    Continue to South Wigston Congregational Church.

  17. St Thomas

    Continue to St Thomas.

  18. Blaby Methodist Church

    Continue to Blaby Methodist Church.

  19. South Leicester College

    Continue to South Leicester College.

  20. South Leicestershire College Day Nursery

    Finish back near South Leicestershire College Day Nursery, completing the loop.

More routes at Leicester test centre

Route FAQs

This route is 43.1 km and takes about 45 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Leicester test centre, not an official DVSA route.