Near Lerwick test centre
Rated easy from its real manoeuvre load, 8 roundabouts and 9 turns across 23 navigation steps.
This is an independent 17.1 km practice loop near Lerwick 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 South Road, 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 schools, stations, churches 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 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 89-step drive on real, named roads (about 17.2 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 Street170 m
Turn right onto King Erik Street.
King Erik Street146 m
Turn left onto Market Street.
Market Street331 m
Turn right onto Commercial Road/A969.
Commercial Road207 m
Move right onto Commercial Street/B9072.
Commercial Street38 m
Turn right onto Harbour Street/B9072.
Harbour Street318 m
Turn left onto King Harald Street.
King Harald Street425 m
Turn right onto Scalloway Road/A969. Continue on A969.
A969277 m
Keep left to take South Road/A969.
South Road327 m
Keep left to stay on South Road/A969.
South Road165 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto South Road/A969.
50 m
Exit the roundabout onto South Road/A969. Continue on South Road.
South Road460 m
Keep left to take South Road/A970.
South Road177 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto South Road/A970.
40 m
Exit the roundabout onto South Road/A970.
South Road462 m
Turn left onto Oversund Road.
Oversund Road51 m
Turn right onto Ackrigarth.
Ackrigarth17 m
Turn left to stay on Ackrigarth.
Ackrigarth109 m
Turn right.
38 m
Make a right U-turn.
38 m
Turn left onto Ackrigarth.
Ackrigarth109 m
Turn right to stay on Ackrigarth.
Ackrigarth17 m
Turn right onto Oversund Road.
Oversund Road34 m
Turn left to stay on Oversund Road.
Oversund Road645 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto South Road/A970.
60 m
Exit the roundabout onto South Road/A970.
South Road238 m
Keep left to stay on South Road/A970.
South Road370 m
Keep left to stay on South Road.
South Road28 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto South Road/A969.
47 m
Exit the roundabout onto South Road/A969.
South Road493 m
Keep left to stay on A969.
A969277 m
Turn left onto King Harald Street.
King Harald Street160 m
Turn right onto Union Street.
Union Street67 m
Turn left onto St. Olaf Street.
St. Olaf Street122 m
Turn left onto King Erik Street.
King Erik Street69 m
Turn left onto King Harald Street.
King Harald Street219 m
Turn left onto Prince Alfred Street.
Prince Alfred Street68 m
Turn left onto St. Olaf Street.
St. Olaf Street165 m
Turn right onto King Harald Street.
King Harald Street123 m
Turn right onto King Erik Street.
King Erik Street69 m
Turn right onto St. Olaf Street.
St. Olaf Street122 m
Turn right onto Union Street.
Union Street67 m
Turn left onto King Harald Street.
King Harald Street314 m
Turn left onto Breiwick Road.
Breiwick Road392 m
Keep left to stay on Breiwick Road.
Breiwick Road12 m
Turn right onto Knab Road.
Knab Road369 m
Turn left onto Gressy Loan.
Gressy Loan298 m
Turn left onto Twageos Road.
Twageos Road241 m
Turn left onto Midgarth Crescent.
Midgarth Crescent96 m
Turn right to stay on Midgarth Crescent.
Midgarth Crescent38 m
Turn left onto Lover's Loan.
Lover's Loan449 m
Move right onto Church Road/A969. Continue on A969.
A9691.0 km
Keep right to stay on A969.
A969382 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto North Road/A970.
23 m
Exit the roundabout onto North Road/A970.
North Road5 m
Keep right to stay on North Road/A970.
North Road46 m
Turn left to stay on North Road.
North Road818 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 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.
North Lochside363 m
Turn left onto Hayfield Lane.
Hayfield Lane181 m
Turn right onto Robertson Crescent.
Robertson Crescent65 m
Turn left onto Haldane Burgess Crescent.
Haldane Burgess Crescent37 m
Keep left to stay on Haldane Burgess Crescent.
Haldane Burgess Crescent83 m
Turn left onto Anderson Road.
Anderson Road65 m
Turn right onto North Lochside/A970.
North Lochside92 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto North Lochside/A970.
40 m
Exit the roundabout onto North Lochside/A970.
North Lochside170 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto North Road/A970.
12 m
Exit the roundabout onto North Road/A970.
North Road52 m
Turn left to stay on North Road.
North Road37 m
Keep left to stay on North Road.
North Road781 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 Road840 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit.
18 m
Exit the roundabout.
42 m
Keep left at the fork.
186 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 7 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.
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.
UHI Shetland - Islesburgh Learning Centre
Start near UHI Shetland - Islesburgh Learning Centre.
Viking Bus Station
Continue to Viking Bus Station.
St Margaret and the Sacred Heart
Continue to St Margaret and the Sacred Heart.
Sound Service Station
Continue to Sound Service Station.
South Road
Continue to South Road, taking the junction with good observation.
Sound Butchers
Continue to Sound Butchers.
Sound Gospel Hall
Continue to Sound Gospel Hall.
Lerwick Health Centre
Continue to Lerwick Health Centre.
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Continue to Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
CWGC Cross of Sacrifice
Continue to CWGC Cross of Sacrifice.
Esplanade
Continue to Esplanade.
St Columba's Church of Scotland
Continue to St Columba's Church of Scotland.
Douglas Arms
Continue to Douglas Arms.
Home Furnishing of Lerwick
Continue to Home Furnishing of Lerwick.
Frank Williamson
Continue to Frank Williamson.
Garthspool Evangelical Church
Continue to Garthspool Evangelical Church.
Holmsgarth Ferry Terminal
Continue to Holmsgarth Ferry Terminal.
Holmsgarth Road
Continue to Holmsgarth Road, taking the junction with good observation.
North Lochside
Continue to North Lochside, taking the junction with good observation.
Scoop Wholefoods
Finish back near Scoop Wholefoods, completing the loop.
6 roundabouts · 19 turns
6 roundabouts · 15 turns
6 roundabouts · 13 turns
4 roundabouts · 24 turns
This route is 17.1 km and takes about 35 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Lerwick test centre, not an official DVSA route.