Near Lerwick test centre
Rated easy from its real manoeuvre load, 6 roundabouts and 15 turns across 26 navigation steps.
This is an independent 31.4 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 Holmsgarth Road, North Lochside and South Road. 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, 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, stations and named junctions, 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 124-step drive on real, named roads (about 31.4 km). An indicative practice loop, not an official DVSA route — the roads and junctions are real, the sequence is a rehearsal.
Drive north on King Harald Street.
King Harald Street500 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 Road840 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 2nd exit onto North Road/A969.
15 m
Exit the roundabout onto North Road/A969.
North Road76 m
Turn right onto Gilbertson Road.
Gilbertson Road210 m
Keep right to stay on Gilbertson Road.
Gilbertson Road537 m
Turn left onto South Road/A969. Continue on A969.
A969352 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 Street148 m
Turn right onto Hillhead.
Hillhead108 m
Turn left onto Clairmont Place/A969. Continue on A969.
A969219 m
Turn left onto Church Road/A969. Continue on A969.
A969627 m
Keep right to stay on A969.
A969533 m
Turn right onto Garthspool Road.
Garthspool Road121 m
Turn left.
229 m
Enter Holmsgarth Road and take the 2nd exit.
Holmsgarth Road892 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 4th exit onto Holmsgarth Road/A970.
69 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 Lochside743 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.
South Road246 m
Turn left onto Cairnfield Road.
Cairnfield Road24 m
Turn left onto Clickimin Road.
Clickimin Road239 m
Turn left onto South Lochside/A970.
South Lochside26 m
Turn right onto South Road/A969.
South Road76 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 Road79 m
Keep left to take South Road/A970.
South Road380 m
Keep left to stay on 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 Road511 m
Keep right to stay on South Road/A970.
South Road363 m
Keep right to stay on A970.
A970119 m
Keep left to take New Trebister Way/A970.
New Trebister Way145 m
Keep left to stay on New Trebister Way/A970.
New Trebister Way227 m
Keep left to stay on New Trebister Way/A970.
New Trebister Way228 m
Keep left to stay on New Trebister Way/A970.
New Trebister Way113 m
Keep right to stay on A970.
A970923 m
Keep right to stay on Mucklegarth Bend/A970.
Mucklegarth Bend119 m
Keep right to stay on Mucklegarth Bend/A970.
Mucklegarth Bend28 m
Turn right onto Bersa Pass/B9073.
Bersa Pass76 m
Keep right to stay on Bersa Pass/B9073.
Bersa Pass102 m
Keep right to stay on Bersa Pass/B9073.
Bersa Pass2.1 km
Turn right onto Fitch Road/A970.
Fitch Road164 m
Keep straight to stay on Fitch Road/A970.
Fitch Road170 m
Keep right to stay on A970.
A9702.1 km
Turn right onto Great Road North-Fitch Ford/A970. Continue on A970.
A9701.6 km
Keep left to take Great Road North/A970.
Great Road North113 m
Keep right to stay on Great Road North/A970.
Great Road North250 m
Keep left to stay on Great Road North/A970.
Great Road North291 m
Keep left to stay on A970.
A9701.4 km
Keep left to take Gremista Road/A970.
Gremista Road438 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Holmsgarth Road/A970.
24 m
Exit the roundabout onto Holmsgarth Road/A970.
Holmsgarth Road840 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.
A970851 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto South Road/A969.
67 m
Exit the roundabout onto South Road/A969. Continue on South Road.
South Road459 m
Keep left to stay on 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 Road195 m
Turn right onto Longland.
Longland227 m
Turn right onto Oversund Road.
Oversund Road71 m
Turn left onto Tarland.
Tarland110 m
Turn right to stay on Tarland.
Tarland17 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Tarland.
Tarland17 m
Turn left to stay on Tarland.
Tarland110 m
Turn left onto Oversund Road.
Oversund Road523 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto South Road/A970.
60 m
Exit the roundabout onto South Road/A970.
South Road609 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 Road322 m
Turn left onto Cairnfield Road.
Cairnfield Road24 m
Turn left onto Clickimin Road.
Clickimin Road239 m
Turn right onto South Lochside/A970.
South Lochside46 m
Turn left to stay on South Lochside/A970.
South Lochside13 m
Turn right to stay on South Lochside/A970.
South Lochside64 m
Keep left to stay on A970.
A970328 m
Keep left to take North Lochside/A970.
North Lochside347 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 3rd exit onto North Road/A969.
27 m
Exit the roundabout onto North Road/A969. Continue on A969.
A969382 m
Keep right to take Commercial Road/A969.
Commercial Road369 m
Move right onto Commercial Street/B9072.
Commercial Street38 m
Turn right onto Harbour Street/B9072.
Harbour Street243 m
Turn left onto St. Olaf Street.
St. Olaf Street263 m
Turn right onto Union Street.
Union Street108 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Lerwick · Route 8 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.
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.
Garthspool Evangelical Church
Start near Garthspool Evangelical Church.
UHI Shetland - Islesburgh Learning Centre
Continue to UHI Shetland - Islesburgh Learning Centre.
Holmsgarth Ferry Terminal
Continue to Holmsgarth Ferry Terminal.
Holmsgarth Road
Continue to Holmsgarth Road, taking the junction with good observation.
Adam Clark Methodist Church Minster
Continue to Adam Clark Methodist Church Minster.
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Continue to Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Esplanade
Continue to Esplanade.
Viking Bus Station
Continue to Viking Bus Station.
Co-op Food
Continue to Co-op Food.
Heima
Continue to Heima.
North Lochside
Continue to North Lochside, taking the junction with good observation.
Sound Service Station
Continue to Sound Service Station.
South Road
Continue to South Road, taking the junction with good observation.
Jim's Garage
Continue to Jim's Garage.
Leask Motors
Continue to Leask Motors.
Sound Butchers
Continue to Sound Butchers.
Sound Gospel Hall
Continue to Sound Gospel Hall.
Douglas Arms
Continue to Douglas Arms.
Shetland Church of Scotland
Continue to Shetland Church of Scotland.
St Margaret and the Sacred Heart
Finish back near St Margaret and the Sacred Heart, completing the loop.
6 roundabouts · 19 turns
6 roundabouts · 13 turns
4 roundabouts · 24 turns
5 roundabouts · 14 turns
This route is 31.4 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.