Near Letchworth test centre
Rated moderate from its real manoeuvre load, 10 roundabouts and 12 turns across 24 navigation steps.
This is an independent 57.1 km practice route near Letchworth 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.
On this route you’ll practise multiple roundabouts, 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 churches, shops, schools and pubs, 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 Letchworth 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 172-step drive on real, named roads (about 59.0 km). An indicative practice loop, not an official DVSA route — the roads and junctions are real, the sequence is a rehearsal.
Drive south.
22 m
Turn right onto Jackmans Place.
Jackmans Place333 m
Turn right onto Ridge Avenue.
Ridge Avenue265 m
Turn right onto Ridge Road.
Ridge Road41 m
Turn left to stay on Ridge Road.
Ridge Road155 m
Turn right to stay on Ridge Road.
Ridge Road107 m
Turn left onto Ridge Avenue.
Ridge Avenue163 m
Turn right onto Hillshott.
Hillshott251 m
Turn left onto Norton Way South.
Norton Way South211 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 4th exit onto Norton Way South.
83 m
Exit the roundabout onto Norton Way South.
Norton Way South544 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Norton Way North.
21 m
Exit the roundabout onto Norton Way North.
Norton Way North391 m
Keep right to stay on Norton Way North.
Norton Way North458 m
Turn left onto Wilbury Road.
Wilbury Road210 m
Turn right onto Westholm.
Westholm175 m
Turn left onto Wilbury Road.
Wilbury Road145 m
Turn right onto Norton Way North.
Norton Way North527 m
Move right onto Icknield Way.
Icknield Way681 m
Turn right onto Cowslip Hill.
Cowslip Hill63 m
Keep left to stay on Cowslip Hill.
Cowslip Hill625 m
Turn left onto Wilbury Road.
Wilbury Road907 m
Turn right onto Bedford Road.
Bedford Road37 m
Turn left onto Wilbury Hills Road.
Wilbury Hills Road32 m
Turn right onto Arlesey New Road.
Arlesey New Road1.2 km
Turn right onto Hitchin Road.
Hitchin Road3.7 km
Turn right onto Bowskill Way.
Bowskill Way236 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Bowskill Way.
35 m
Exit the roundabout onto Bowskill Way.
Bowskill Way422 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Bowskill Way.
29 m
Exit the roundabout onto Bowskill Way.
Bowskill Way217 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A507.
77 m
Exit the roundabout onto A507.
A5071.0 km
Keep right to stay on A507.
A507214 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A507.
30 m
Exit the roundabout onto A507.
A50774 m
Keep right to stay on A507.
A507137 m
Keep right to stay on A507.
A5071.0 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Norton Road.
38 m
Exit the roundabout onto Norton Road.
Norton Road208 m
Turn left onto Baldock Road.
Baldock Road478 m
Turn left onto Grange Drive.
Grange Drive96 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Grange Drive.
Grange Drive96 m
Turn right onto High Street.
High Street478 m
Turn right onto Norton Road.
Norton Road193 m
Turn left to stay on Norton Road.
Norton Road13 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 4th exit onto Tansy Avenue.
126 m
Exit the roundabout onto Tansy Avenue.
Tansy Avenue400 m
Turn right onto Grange Drive.
Grange Drive105 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Grange Drive.
Grange Drive105 m
Turn left onto Valerian Way.
Valerian Way56 m
Keep left to stay on Valerian Way.
Valerian Way341 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Norton Road.
81 m
Exit the roundabout onto Norton Road.
Norton Road243 m
Turn right.
5 m
Make a right U-turn.
5 m
Turn right onto Norton Road.
Norton Road3.3 km
Turn left onto Norton Way North.
Norton Way North850 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Norton Way South.
23 m
Exit the roundabout onto Norton Way South.
Norton Way South548 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Pixmore Way.
60 m
Exit the roundabout onto Pixmore Way.
Pixmore Way171 m
Turn left onto Lytton Avenue.
Lytton Avenue113 m
Turn right onto Meadow Way.
Meadow Way254 m
Turn left onto Broadway.
Broadway299 m
Turn right to stay on Broadway.
Broadway32 m
Turn left to stay on Broadway.
Broadway258 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Station Place.
2 m
Exit the roundabout onto Station Place.
Station Place61 m
Turn right onto Bridge Road.
Bridge Road239 m
Turn left onto Icknield Way.
Icknield Way69 m
Turn right onto Bedford Road.
Bedford Road1.1 km
Turn left onto Wilbury Hills Road.
Wilbury Hills Road32 m
Turn right onto Arlesey New Road.
Arlesey New Road13 m
Keep right to stay on Arlesey New Road.
Arlesey New Road1.2 km
Turn right onto Hitchin Road.
Hitchin Road3.2 km
Turn right onto Lynton Avenue.
Lynton Avenue123 m
Turn left onto Gothic Way.
Gothic Way253 m
Turn right onto Hillary Rise.
Hillary Rise98 m
Turn right to stay on Hillary Rise.
Hillary Rise13 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Hillary Rise.
Hillary Rise13 m
Turn left to stay on Hillary Rise.
Hillary Rise98 m
Turn right to stay on Hillary Rise.
Hillary Rise105 m
Turn left onto Lymans Road.
Lymans Road422 m
Turn right onto High Street.
High Street244 m
Turn right onto Bowskill Way.
Bowskill Way236 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Bowskill Way.
35 m
Exit the roundabout onto Bowskill Way.
Bowskill Way422 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Bowskill Way.
29 m
Exit the roundabout onto Bowskill Way.
Bowskill Way217 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A507.
77 m
Exit the roundabout onto A507.
A5071.0 km
Keep right to stay on A507.
A507214 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A507.
30 m
Exit the roundabout onto A507.
A50774 m
Keep right to stay on A507.
A507137 m
Keep right to stay on A507.
A5071.0 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A507.
71 m
Exit the roundabout onto A507.
A5071.2 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A507.
162 m
Exit the roundabout onto A507.
A507175 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Great North Road/A507.
64 m
Exit the roundabout onto Great North Road/A507.
Great North Road1.5 km
Keep left to take North Road/A507.
North Road154 m
Keep left to stay on North Road/A507.
North Road220 m
Keep right to stay on North Road/A507.
North Road258 m
Keep left to stay on A507.
A507511 m
Turn right onto Whitehorse Street/B656.
Whitehorse Street233 m
Turn left onto High Street/B197.
High Street322 m
Turn left to stay on High Street.
High Street22 m
Keep right to stay on High Street.
High Street307 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 5th exit.
83 m
Exit the roundabout.
35 m
Move left onto High Street/B197.
High Street596 m
Turn left onto Hitchin Street/B656.
Hitchin Street292 m
Turn right onto Norton Road.
Norton Road318 m
Turn left to stay on Norton Road.
Norton Road1.1 km
Turn right to stay on Norton Road.
Norton Road2.0 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto A507.
19 m
Exit the roundabout onto A507.
A50720 m
Keep right to stay on A507.
A5071.2 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A507.
39 m
Exit the roundabout onto A507.
A50718 m
Keep right to stay on A507.
A507114 m
Keep left to stay on A507.
A5071.1 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A507.
53 m
Exit the roundabout onto A507.
A507208 m
Keep right to stay on A507.
A507121 m
Keep right to stay on A507.
A507113 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Stotfold Road.
14 m
Exit the roundabout onto Stotfold Road.
Stotfold Road597 m
Turn left onto House Lane.
House Lane612 m
Move left onto High Street.
High Street106 m
Keep left to stay on High Street.
High Street109 m
Turn left onto Bowskill Way.
Bowskill Way236 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Bowskill Way.
35 m
Exit the roundabout onto Bowskill Way.
Bowskill Way422 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Bowskill Way.
29 m
Exit the roundabout onto Bowskill Way.
Bowskill Way217 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A507.
77 m
Exit the roundabout onto A507.
A5071.2 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Hitchin Road.
70 m
Exit the roundabout onto Hitchin Road.
Hitchin Road139 m
Keep right to stay on Hitchin Road.
Hitchin Road514 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Hitchin Road.
30 m
Exit the roundabout onto Hitchin Road.
Hitchin Road380 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Stotfold Road.
37 m
Exit the roundabout onto Stotfold Road.
Stotfold Road1.6 km
Turn left onto Bedford Road.
Bedford Road1.1 km
Turn left onto Icknield Way.
Icknield Way134 m
Keep left to stay on Icknield Way.
Icknield Way616 m
Turn right onto Norton Way North.
Norton Way North322 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Birds Hill.
5 m
Exit the roundabout onto Birds Hill.
Birds Hill134 m
Turn right onto Ridge Road.
Ridge Road101 m
Keep right to stay on Ridge Road.
Ridge Road154 m
Turn left to stay on Ridge Road.
Ridge Road155 m
Turn right to stay on Ridge Road.
Ridge Road137 m
Keep straight to stay on Ridge Road.
Ridge Road184 m
Turn left onto Birds Hill.
Birds Hill135 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Station Road.
20 m
Exit the roundabout onto Station Road.
Station Road400 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 4th exit onto Station Place.
42 m
Exit the roundabout onto Station Place.
Station Place408 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Birds Hill.
27 m
Exit the roundabout onto Birds Hill.
Birds Hill436 m
Turn right onto Pixmore Avenue.
Pixmore Avenue74 m
Keep straight to stay on Pixmore Avenue.
Pixmore Avenue378 m
Turn left onto Jackmans Place.
Jackmans Place141 m
Turn right to stay on Jackmans Place.
Jackmans Place145 m
Turn left to stay on Jackmans Place.
Jackmans Place62 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Letchworth · Route 18 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.
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, 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.
Letchworth Free Church
Start near Letchworth Free Church.
St. George's
Continue to St. George's.
Steven Eagell Toyota (Letchworth)
Continue to Steven Eagell Toyota (Letchworth).
Arlesey Methodist Church
Continue to Arlesey Methodist Church.
Arlesey Pre-School
Continue to Arlesey Pre-School.
Treetops Day Nursery
Continue to Treetops Day Nursery.
St Nicholas's Church
Continue to St Nicholas's Church.
Three Horseshoes
Continue to Three Horseshoes.
Lechworth Central Methodist Church
Continue to Lechworth Central Methodist Church.
Letchworth Garden City
Continue to Letchworth Garden City.
St Thomas' Church
Continue to St Thomas' Church.
Baldock
Continue to Baldock.
Engine
Continue to Engine.
Saint Mary the Virgin
Continue to Saint Mary the Virgin.
White Hart
Continue to White Hart.
Nisa Local
Continue to Nisa Local.
Two Chimneys
Continue to Two Chimneys.
Kattz Kidz
Continue to Kattz Kidz.
Waiting Room
Continue to Waiting Room.
Wentworth Kitchens
Finish back near Wentworth Kitchens, completing the loop.
10 roundabouts · 14 turns · 1 set of lights
11 roundabouts · 11 turns · 2 sets of lights
11 roundabouts · 14 turns · 3 sets of lights
9 roundabouts · 13 turns
This route is 57.1 km and takes about 35 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Letchworth test centre, not an official DVSA route.