Near Loughborough test centre
Rated challenging from its real manoeuvre load, 8 roundabouts, 12 turns and 5 signalled junctions across 24 navigation steps.
This is an independent 116.9 km practice route near Loughborough 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 Ashton Green Road, Forest Road Roundabout and Park Road Roundabout. 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, dual-carriageway joins, 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, pubs, named junctions 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 Loughborough 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 237-step drive on real, named roads (about 117.8 km). An indicative practice loop, not an official DVSA route — the roads and junctions are real, the sequence is a rehearsal.
Drive southwest.
80 m
Turn left onto Gordon Road.
Gordon Road61 m
Turn right onto Station Boulevard/A6004.
Station Boulevard440 m
Turn right onto Nottingham Road/A60.
Nottingham Road314 m
Turn left onto Queen's Road/A60. Continue on A60.
A60454 m
Keep left to stay on A60.
A60570 m
Turn right onto A6/Leicester Road.
A6282 m
Turn right onto A6/Barrow Street.
A693 m
Turn left onto Aumberry Gap.
Aumberry Gap75 m
Turn right onto Pinfold Gate.
Pinfold Gate61 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Pinfold Gate.
Pinfold Gate150 m
Turn left onto Leicester Road/B5350. Continue on Leicester Road.
Leicester Road180 m
Keep left to take A6/Leicester Road.
A6105 m
Turn left onto Gregory Street.
Gregory Street90 m
Turn left onto Moira Street.
Moira Street171 m
Turn left onto A6/Barrow Street.
A636 m
Turn left onto A6/Leicester Road.
A675 m
Keep left to stay on A6/Leicester Road.
A6206 m
Turn left onto King Street/A60. Continue on A60.
A60313 m
Turn right onto Wharncliffe Road.
Wharncliffe Road184 m
Turn right onto Great Central Road.
Great Central Road143 m
Turn left onto New King Street/A60. Continue on A60.
A6085 m
Turn left onto A6/Leicester Road.
A62.1 km
Enter One Ash Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A6.
One Ash Roundabout16 m
Exit the roundabout onto A6.
A632 m
Keep left to stay on A6.
A6110 m
Keep left to stay on A6.
A6153 m
Keep left to stay on A6.
A6112 m
Keep left to stay on A6.
A62.6 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A6.
65 m
Exit the roundabout onto A6.
A62.3 km
Take the exit.
367 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 4th exit.
51 m
Exit the roundabout.
113 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Loughborough Road.
19 m
Exit the roundabout onto Loughborough Road.
Loughborough Road100 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Loughborough Road.
18 m
Exit the roundabout onto Loughborough Road.
Loughborough Road1.1 km
Turn right onto Hallfields Lane.
Hallfields Lane555 m
Keep straight to stay on Hallfields Lane.
Hallfields Lane160 m
Turn left onto Town Green Street.
Town Green Street232 m
Turn right onto Wellsic Lane.
Wellsic Lane200 m
Move left onto Westfield Lane.
Westfield Lane1.2 km
Move left onto Station Road.
Station Road344 m
Turn left onto Thurcaston Lane.
Thurcaston Lane41 m
Keep left to stay on Thurcaston Lane.
Thurcaston Lane916 m
Turn left onto Leicester Road.
Leicester Road1.4 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Ashton Green Road.
20 m
Exit the roundabout onto Ashton Green Road.
Ashton Green Road535 m
Turn left onto Greengate Lane.
Greengate Lane419 m
Keep right to stay on Greengate Lane.
Greengate Lane1.0 km
Turn left onto A6/Loughborough Road.
A61.2 km
Enter Wanlip Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A6.
Wanlip Roundabout137 m
Exit the roundabout onto A6.
A6787 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto A6.
69 m
Exit the roundabout onto A6.
A64.9 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A6.
64 m
Exit the roundabout onto A6.
A63.0 km
Enter One Ash Roundabout and take the 3rd exit.
One Ash Roundabout105 m
Exit the roundabout onto A6/Loughborough Road. Continue on A6.
A62.1 km
Turn right onto King Street/A60. Continue on A60.
A601.0 km
Turn right onto Nottingham Road/A60.
Nottingham Road602 m
Move right to stay on Nottingham Road/A60.
Nottingham Road59 m
Keep left to stay on Nottingham Road/A60.
Nottingham Road1.2 km
Keep left to take Loughborough Road/A60.
Loughborough Road103 m
Keep left to stay on Loughborough Road/A60.
Loughborough Road2.1 km
Turn right onto Prestwold Lane.
Prestwold Lane106 m
Keep left to stay on Prestwold Lane.
Prestwold Lane1.4 km
Keep left to take Prestwold Lane/B676.
Prestwold Lane169 m
Keep left to stay on Prestwold Lane/B676.
Prestwold Lane3.0 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Nottingham Road.
54 m
Exit the roundabout onto Nottingham Road.
Nottingham Road83 m
Keep left to stay on Nottingham Road.
Nottingham Road838 m
Enter Jerusalem Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Bridge Street.
Jerusalem Roundabout41 m
Exit the roundabout onto Bridge Street.
Bridge Street948 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Barrow Road.
31 m
Exit the roundabout onto Barrow Road.
Barrow Road421 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Farley Way.
71 m
Exit the roundabout onto Farley Way.
Farley Way1.6 km
Turn left onto Chaveney Road.
Chaveney Road726 m
Turn left onto Elms Drive.
Elms Drive159 m
Turn right onto Cradock Drive.
Cradock Drive8 m
Turn left onto Warwick Avenue.
Warwick Avenue680 m
Turn right onto Woodhouse Road.
Woodhouse Road114 m
Turn left onto Loughborough Road.
Loughborough Road583 m
Enter One Ash Roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Terry Yardley Way/A6004.
One Ash Roundabout12 m
Exit the roundabout onto Terry Yardley Way/A6004.
Terry Yardley Way698 m
Keep right to stay on Terry Yardley Way/A6004.
Terry Yardley Way158 m
Enter Woodthorpe Roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Ling Road/A6004.
Woodthorpe Roundabout60 m
Exit the roundabout onto Ling Road/A6004.
Ling Road805 m
Enter Park Road Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Epinal Way/A6004.
Park Road Roundabout38 m
Exit the roundabout onto Epinal Way/A6004.
Epinal Way251 m
Keep right to stay on Epinal Way/A6004.
Epinal Way182 m
Enter Beacon Road Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Epinal Way/A6004.
Beacon Road Roundabout31 m
Exit the roundabout onto Epinal Way/A6004.
Epinal Way489 m
Enter Forest Road Roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Forest Road.
Forest Road Roundabout12 m
Exit the roundabout onto Forest Road.
Forest Road766 m
Turn right onto Benscliffe Drive.
Benscliffe Drive318 m
Turn right onto Holywell Drive.
Holywell Drive18 m
Turn left onto Spinney Hill Drive.
Spinney Hill Drive125 m
Turn left to stay on Spinney Hill Drive.
Spinney Hill Drive127 m
Keep left to stay on Spinney Hill Drive.
Spinney Hill Drive112 m
Keep left to stay on Spinney Hill Drive.
Spinney Hill Drive116 m
Turn left onto Holywell Drive.
Holywell Drive155 m
Turn right onto Highfields Drive.
Highfields Drive286 m
Turn right onto Benscliffe Drive.
Benscliffe Drive108 m
Turn left onto Forest Road.
Forest Road766 m
Enter Forest Road Roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Epinal Way/A6004.
Forest Road Roundabout62 m
Exit the roundabout onto Epinal Way/A6004.
Epinal Way479 m
Enter Beacon Road Roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Epinal Way/A6004.
Beacon Road Roundabout32 m
Exit the roundabout onto Epinal Way/A6004.
Epinal Way178 m
Keep left to stay on Epinal Way/A6004.
Epinal Way254 m
Enter Park Road Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Ling Road/A6004.
Park Road Roundabout37 m
Exit the roundabout onto Ling Road/A6004.
Ling Road800 m
Enter Woodthorpe Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Terry Yardley Way/A6004.
Woodthorpe Roundabout54 m
Exit the roundabout onto Terry Yardley Way/A6004.
Terry Yardley Way157 m
Keep straight to stay on Terry Yardley Way/A6004.
Terry Yardley Way683 m
Enter One Ash Roundabout and take the 4th exit onto Loughborough Road.
One Ash Roundabout93 m
Exit the roundabout onto Loughborough Road.
Loughborough Road670 m
Keep right to stay on Loughborough Road.
Loughborough Road429 m
Move right onto High Street.
High Street355 m
Turn right onto Meeting Street.
Meeting Street396 m
Turn right onto Spinney Drive.
Spinney Drive151 m
Turn left onto Cradock Drive.
Cradock Drive134 m
Turn right onto Warwick Avenue.
Warwick Avenue680 m
Turn right onto Woodhouse Road.
Woodhouse Road114 m
Turn left onto Loughborough Road.
Loughborough Road583 m
Enter One Ash Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A6/Loughborough Road.
One Ash Roundabout64 m
Exit the roundabout onto A6/Loughborough Road.
A62.4 km
Turn right onto A6/Barrow Street.
A693 m
Turn left onto Aumberry Gap.
Aumberry Gap75 m
Turn left onto Pinfold Gate.
Pinfold Gate90 m
Turn right onto High Street.
High Street157 m
Turn right onto Baxter Gate.
Baxter Gate182 m
Turn right onto A6/Jubilee Way. Continue on A6.
A6365 m
Turn left onto A6/Leicester Road.
A6654 m
Keep right to stay on A6/Leicester Road.
A6676 m
Keep right to stay on A6.
A61.1 km
Enter One Ash Roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Loughborough Road.
One Ash Roundabout50 m
Exit the roundabout onto Loughborough Road.
Loughborough Road670 m
Keep right to stay on Loughborough Road.
Loughborough Road429 m
Move right onto High Street.
High Street341 m
Turn left onto Station Road.
Station Road355 m
Turn right onto Stoop Lane.
Stoop Lane74 m
Move left to stay on Stoop Lane.
Stoop Lane378 m
Turn left onto Meynell Road.
Meynell Road624 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit.
69 m
Exit the roundabout onto A6.
A61.2 km
Enter One Ash Roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A6/Loughborough Road.
One Ash Roundabout106 m
Exit the roundabout onto A6/Loughborough Road. Continue on A6.
A62.1 km
Turn right onto King Street/A60. Continue on A60.
A60333 m
Turn left onto Moor Lane.
Moor Lane316 m
Turn left onto A6/Barrow Street.
A665 m
Take the exit.
A637 m
Move left onto A6/Leicester Road.
A6261 m
Turn left onto King Street/A60. Continue on A60.
A60127 m
Turn left onto Moira Street.
Moira Street71 m
Turn left onto Factory Street.
Factory Street118 m
Turn right onto A6/Leicester Road.
A6240 m
Turn right onto A6/Barrow Street. Continue on A6.
A6740 m
Turn right onto A6/Bridge Street.
A616 m
Turn right onto A6/Fennel Street. Continue on A6.
A6740 m
Turn left onto A6/Leicester Road.
A6654 m
Keep right to stay on A6/Leicester Road.
A6676 m
Keep right to stay on A6.
A61.1 km
Enter One Ash Roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Loughborough Road.
One Ash Roundabout50 m
Exit the roundabout onto Loughborough Road.
Loughborough Road670 m
Keep right to stay on Loughborough Road.
Loughborough Road429 m
Turn left onto Sarson Street.
Sarson Street67 m
Turn left onto Castledine Street.
Castledine Street115 m
Turn left onto Barrow Road.
Barrow Road74 m
Turn right onto Loughborough Road.
Loughborough Road398 m
Turn right onto Farley Way.
Farley Way925 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Barrow Road.
40 m
Exit the roundabout onto Barrow Road.
Barrow Road418 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Barrow Road.
24 m
Exit the roundabout onto Barrow Road.
Barrow Road949 m
Enter Jerusalem Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto South Street.
Jerusalem Roundabout35 m
Exit the roundabout onto South Street.
South Street368 m
Keep right to take Sileby Road.
Sileby Road1.3 km
Turn right onto Slash Lane.
Slash Lane1.1 km
Turn right onto Mountsorrel Lane.
Mountsorrel Lane35 m
Keep right to stay on Mountsorrel Lane.
Mountsorrel Lane487 m
Turn right to take the ramp.
A61.1 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A6.
64 m
Exit the roundabout onto A6.
A63.0 km
Enter One Ash Roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Loughborough Road.
One Ash Roundabout8 m
Exit the roundabout onto Loughborough Road.
Loughborough Road68 m
Keep right to stay on Loughborough Road.
Loughborough Road601 m
Keep right to stay on Loughborough Road.
Loughborough Road429 m
Move right onto High Street.
High Street355 m
Turn left onto Leicester Road.
Leicester Road528 m
Keep right to stay on Leicester Road.
Leicester Road11 m
Turn right onto Wood Lane.
Wood Lane2.1 km
Keep left to stay on Wood Lane.
Wood Lane486 m
Keep left to take Swithland Lane.
Swithland Lane890 m
Keep left to stay on Swithland Lane.
Swithland Lane192 m
Keep left to stay on Swithland Lane.
Swithland Lane153 m
Keep left to stay on Swithland Lane.
Swithland Lane728 m
Turn right onto Station Road.
Station Road344 m
Turn left onto Thurcaston Lane.
Thurcaston Lane957 m
Turn left onto Leicester Road.
Leicester Road23 m
Keep left to stay on Leicester Road.
Leicester Road1.4 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Ashton Green Road.
20 m
Exit the roundabout onto Ashton Green Road.
Ashton Green Road535 m
Turn left onto Greengate Lane.
Greengate Lane419 m
Keep right to stay on Greengate Lane.
Greengate Lane1.0 km
Turn left onto A6/Loughborough Road.
A61.2 km
Enter Wanlip Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A6.
Wanlip Roundabout137 m
Exit the roundabout onto A6.
A6788 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto A6.
69 m
Exit the roundabout onto A6.
A64.9 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit.
64 m
Exit the roundabout onto A6.
A63.0 km
Enter One Ash Roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A6/Loughborough Road.
One Ash Roundabout106 m
Exit the roundabout onto A6/Loughborough Road. Continue on A6.
A61.5 km
Keep left to take Shelthorpe Road.
Shelthorpe Road71 m
Turn left to stay on Shelthorpe Road.
Shelthorpe Road620 m
Move left onto Park Road.
Park Road127 m
Enter Park Road Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Park Road.
Park Road Roundabout35 m
Exit the roundabout onto Park Road.
Park Road122 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Park Road.
63 m
Exit the roundabout onto Park Road.
Park Road124 m
Enter Park Road Roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Epinal Way/A6004.
Park Road Roundabout6 m
Exit the roundabout onto Epinal Way/A6004.
Epinal Way251 m
Keep right to stay on Epinal Way/A6004.
Epinal Way182 m
Enter Beacon Road Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Epinal Way/A6004.
Beacon Road Roundabout31 m
Exit the roundabout onto Epinal Way/A6004.
Epinal Way489 m
Enter Forest Road Roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Forest Road.
Forest Road Roundabout12 m
Exit the roundabout onto Forest Road.
Forest Road243 m
Turn left onto Holt Drive.
Holt Drive24 m
Turn right to stay on Holt Drive.
Holt Drive23 m
Turn right onto Forest Road.
Forest Road271 m
Enter Forest Road Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Forest Road/B5350.
Forest Road Roundabout43 m
Exit the roundabout onto Forest Road/B5350.
Forest Road832 m
Keep right to stay on B5350.
B5350512 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Loughborough · Route 1 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.
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
Watch your lane discipline and signalling at Forest Road Roundabout, Park Road Roundabout. Get into the correct lane early and check your exit mirror before leaving.
Dual-carriageway join
About 44.5 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 (20, 30, 40, 50, 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.
BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir
Start near BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir.
Loughborough Mosque and Islamic Cultural Association
Continue to Loughborough Mosque and Islamic Cultural Association.
Miller & Carter Rothley
Continue to Miller & Carter Rothley.
Rothley Court
Continue to Rothley Court.
Ashton Green Road
Continue to Ashton Green Road, taking the junction with good observation.
Loughborough
Continue to Loughborough.
Barrow Methodist Church
Continue to Barrow Methodist Church.
Moorings
Continue to Moorings.
Forest Road Roundabout
Continue to Forest Road Roundabout, taking the junction with good observation.
Park Road Roundabout
Continue to Park Road Roundabout, taking the junction with good observation.
Kilo Wine Bar
Continue to Kilo Wine Bar.
Baxter Gate Baptist Church
Continue to Baxter Gate Baptist Church.
Ryans Corner
Continue to Ryans Corner.
Geeta Bhawan
Continue to Geeta Bhawan.
Holy Trinity Church
Continue to Holy Trinity Church.
Hannahs
Continue to Hannahs.
White Horse
Continue to White Horse.
Sacred Heart Catholic Church
Continue to Sacred Heart Catholic Church.
Emmanuel Church
Continue to Emmanuel Church.
Trinity Methodist Church
Finish back near Trinity Methodist Church, completing the loop.
9 roundabouts · 21 turns · 7 sets of lights
7 roundabouts · 21 turns · 4 sets of lights
9 roundabouts · 10 turns · 6 sets of lights
8 roundabouts · 19 turns · 5 sets of lights
This route is 116.9 km and takes about 35 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Loughborough test centre, not an official DVSA route.