Near Lerwick test centre
Rated easy from its real manoeuvre load, 5 roundabouts and 13 turns across 23 navigation steps.
This is an independent 16.6 km practice loop near Lerwick test centre, taking roughly 30 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 Holmsgarth Road and North Lochside. 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, 20 mph zones, 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 churches, schools, shops 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 Lerwick 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 68-step drive on real, named roads (about 16.6 km). An indicative practice loop, not an official DVSA route — the roads and junctions are real, the sequence is a rehearsal.
Drive north on King Harald Street.
King Harald Street348 m
Turn left onto King Haakon Street.
King Haakon Street87 m
Turn left onto Burgh Road.
Burgh Road1.2 km
Turn left onto Lover's Loan.
Lover's Loan246 m
Turn right onto Twageos Road.
Twageos Road282 m
Turn right onto Gressy Loan.
Gressy Loan298 m
Turn right onto Knab Road.
Knab Road498 m
Turn left onto Annsbrae Place/A969. Continue on A969.
A969219 m
Turn right onto Hillhead.
Hillhead108 m
Turn left onto Prince Alfred Street.
Prince Alfred Street148 m
Turn left onto King Harald Street.
King Harald Street65 m
Turn right onto Scalloway Road/A969. Continue on A969.
A969352 m
Turn right onto Gilbertson Road.
Gilbertson Road748 m
Turn left onto North Road/A969.
North Road76 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto North Road/A970.
23 m
Exit the roundabout onto North Road/A970.
North Road52 m
Turn left to stay on North Road.
North Road819 m
Turn right onto Gremista Brae.
Gremista Brae131 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Holmsgarth Road/A970.
49 m
Exit the roundabout onto Holmsgarth Road/A970.
Holmsgarth Road841 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit.
18 m
Exit the roundabout.
229 m
Turn right onto Garthspool Road.
Garthspool Road121 m
Turn right onto North Road/A969.
North Road239 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto North Road/A970.
23 m
Exit the roundabout onto North Road/A970.
North Road52 m
Turn right onto Holmsgarth Road/A970.
Holmsgarth Road81 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Holmsgarth Road/A970.
28 m
Exit the roundabout onto Holmsgarth Road/A970.
Holmsgarth Road841 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Gremista Brae.
20 m
Exit the roundabout onto Gremista Brae.
Gremista Brae131 m
Turn right onto Ladies Drive.
Ladies Drive639 m
Turn left.
25 m
Move right onto Burnbank Road.
Burnbank Road34 m
Turn left onto Hoofields.
Hoofields43 m
Turn right to stay on Hoofields.
Hoofields37 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Hoofields.
Hoofields37 m
Turn left to stay on Hoofields.
Hoofields43 m
Turn right onto Burnbank Road.
Burnbank Road34 m
Move left.
25 m
Turn right onto Ladies Drive.
Ladies Drive639 m
Turn left onto Gremista Brae.
Gremista Brae131 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Holmsgarth Road/A970.
49 m
Exit the roundabout onto Holmsgarth Road/A970.
Holmsgarth Road841 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Holmsgarth Road/A970.
41 m
Exit the roundabout onto Holmsgarth Road/A970.
Holmsgarth Road81 m
Turn left onto North Road/A970.
North Road52 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto North Lochside/A970.
26 m
Exit the roundabout onto North Lochside/A970.
North Lochside173 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto North Lochside/A970.
10 m
Exit the roundabout onto North Lochside/A970. Continue on A970.
A970743 m
Turn left onto South Lochside/A970.
South Lochside13 m
Turn right to stay on South Lochside/A970.
South Lochside72 m
Turn left onto South Road/A969. Continue on A969.
A969694 m
Turn left onto King Harald Street.
King Harald Street614 m
Turn left onto North Road/A969.
North Road333 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto North Road/A970.
23 m
Exit the roundabout onto North Road/A970.
North Road52 m
Turn left to stay on North Road.
North Road819 m
Turn right onto Gremista Brae.
Gremista Brae131 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Holmsgarth Road/A970.
49 m
Exit the roundabout onto Holmsgarth Road/A970.
Holmsgarth Road841 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit.
18 m
Exit the roundabout.
229 m
Turn right onto Garthspool Road.
Garthspool Road121 m
Turn left onto North Road/A969.
North Road116 m
Turn right onto King Harald Street.
King Harald Street374 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Lerwick · Route 5 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
Approach in the correct lane, signal on the exit before yours, and keep checking your mirrors as you leave.
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.
St Margaret and the Sacred Heart
Start near St Margaret and the Sacred Heart.
UHI Shetland - Islesburgh Learning Centre
Continue to UHI Shetland - Islesburgh Learning Centre.
Anderson Homes
Continue to Anderson Homes.
CWGC Cross of Sacrifice
Continue to CWGC Cross of Sacrifice.
Adam Clark Methodist Church Minster
Continue to Adam Clark Methodist Church Minster.
St Columba's Church of Scotland
Continue to St Columba's Church of Scotland.
Goudies Funeral Directors
Continue to Goudies Funeral Directors.
Frank Williamson
Continue to Frank Williamson.
Golden Wok
Continue to Golden Wok.
Holmsgarth Ferry Terminal
Continue to Holmsgarth Ferry Terminal.
Garthspool Evangelical Church
Continue to Garthspool Evangelical Church.
Scoop Wholefoods
Continue to Scoop Wholefoods.
Co-op Food
Continue to Co-op Food.
Holmsgarth Road
Continue to Holmsgarth Road, taking the junction with good observation.
North Lochside
Continue to North Lochside, taking the junction with good observation.
Lerwick Health Centre
Continue to Lerwick Health Centre.
Alex Morrisons
Continue to Alex Morrisons.
Douglas Arms
Continue to Douglas Arms.
Heima
Continue to Heima.
King Harald Street Playpark
Finish back near King Harald Street Playpark, completing the loop.
6 roundabouts · 19 turns
6 roundabouts · 15 turns
6 roundabouts · 13 turns
4 roundabouts · 24 turns
This route is 16.6 km and takes about 30 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Lerwick test centre, not an official DVSA route.