Near Loughborough test centre
Rated moderate from its real manoeuvre load, 6 roundabouts, 17 turns and 3 signalled junctions across 28 navigation steps.
This is an independent 66.1 km practice route near Loughborough test centre, taking roughly 40 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 One Ash Roundabout and Forest 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 pubs, stations, shops and churches, 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 165-step drive on real, named roads (about 67.7 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 Road654 m
Turn left onto Sparrow Hill.
Sparrow Hill282 m
Move left onto A6/Jubilee Way.
A695 m
Turn left onto Moor Lane.
Moor Lane313 m
Turn left onto Wharncliffe Road/A60. Continue on A60.
A60692 m
Turn left onto Nottingham Road.
Nottingham Road340 m
Turn left onto Sparrow Hill.
Sparrow Hill250 m
Make a right U-turn onto Pinfold Gate.
Pinfold Gate206 m
Keep right to take Sparrow Hill.
Sparrow Hill34 m
Turn right onto The Coneries.
The Coneries953 m
Move right to stay on Nottingham Road/A60.
Nottingham Road970 m
Turn right onto Barrow Road/B676.
Barrow Road2.2 km
Turn left onto Prestwold Lane.
Prestwold Lane80 m
Keep left to stay on Prestwold Lane.
Prestwold Lane1.2 km
Turn left onto Loughborough Road/A60.
Loughborough Road3.0 km
Keep left to take Nottingham Road/A60.
Nottingham Road579 m
Move left to stay on Nottingham Road/A60.
Nottingham Road264 m
Turn right onto Station Boulevard/A6004.
Station Boulevard553 m
Turn left onto Meadow Lane/A6004.
Meadow Lane188 m
Turn right onto Belton Road/A6004.
Belton Road153 m
Turn right onto Bottleacre Lane.
Bottleacre Lane63 m
Keep right to stay on Bottleacre Lane.
Bottleacre Lane205 m
Turn right onto Normanton Drive.
Normanton Drive64 m
Turn right onto Cotes Drive.
Cotes Drive63 m
Turn left.
32 m
Make a right U-turn.
32 m
Turn right onto Cotes Drive.
Cotes Drive63 m
Turn left onto Normanton Drive.
Normanton Drive64 m
Turn left onto Bottleacre Lane.
Bottleacre Lane269 m
Turn left onto Belton Road/A6004.
Belton Road122 m
Turn left onto Meadow Lane/A6004. Continue on Meadow Lane.
Meadow Lane209 m
Turn right onto Station Boulevard.
Station Boulevard561 m
Turn left onto Nottingham Road/A60.
Nottingham Road289 m
Move right to stay on Nottingham Road/A60.
Nottingham Road59 m
Keep left to stay on Nottingham Road/A60.
Nottingham Road910 m
Turn right onto Barrow Road/B676.
Barrow Road418 m
Turn right onto Cotes Road.
Cotes Road435 m
Move left onto Bandalls Lane.
Bandalls Lane29 m
Keep right to stay on Bandalls Lane.
Bandalls Lane131 m
Keep right to stay on Bandalls Lane.
Bandalls Lane168 m
Keep right to stay on Bandalls Lane.
Bandalls Lane143 m
Keep left to stay on Bandalls Lane.
Bandalls Lane256 m
Keep left to stay on Bandalls Lane.
Bandalls Lane121 m
Keep left to stay on Bandalls Lane.
Bandalls Lane333 m
Turn left onto Walton Lane.
Walton Lane1.1 km
Turn right onto Nottingham Road.
Nottingham Road1.9 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 Road184 m
Turn left onto Babington Road.
Babington Road614 m
Turn right onto Nottingham Road.
Nottingham Road268 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Nottingham Road.
55 m
Exit the roundabout onto Nottingham Road.
Nottingham Road3.3 km
Keep left to take Prestwold Lane.
Prestwold Lane101 m
Keep left to stay on Prestwold Lane.
Prestwold Lane117 m
Keep straight to stay on Prestwold Lane.
Prestwold Lane1.1 km
Turn right onto Loughborough Road/A60. Continue on A60.
A60465 m
Keep left to stay on A60.
A601.8 km
Turn left onto Ashby Road/A6006.
Ashby Road5.8 km
Keep left to stay on Rempstone Road/A6006.
Rempstone Road259 m
Keep left to stay on Rempstone Road/A6006.
Rempstone Road223 m
Keep right to stay on Rempstone Road/A6006.
Rempstone Road108 m
Keep right to stay on A6006.
A60061.0 km
Keep left to stay on A6006.
A6006703 m
Keep right to take Zouch Road/A6006.
Zouch Road542 m
Turn left onto A6/Derby Road.
A658 m
Keep left to stay on A6.
A61.9 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A6/Derby Road.
47 m
Exit the roundabout onto A6/Derby Road.
A6209 m
Keep right to stay on A6/Derby Road.
A6319 m
Keep right to stay on A6/Derby Road.
A6118 m
Keep right to stay on A6/Derby Road.
A6830 m
Enter Bishop Meadow Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A6/Derby Road.
Bishop Meadow Roundabout49 m
Exit the roundabout onto A6/Derby Road.
A655 m
Keep right to stay on A6/Derby Road.
A61.3 km
Take the exit on the right.
A6282 m
Turn right onto Derby Square/A512. Continue on A512.
A512178 m
Keep right to stay on A512.
A51223 m
Turn left onto Frederick Street.
Frederick Street351 m
Turn left onto Browns Lane.
Browns Lane290 m
Turn left onto Ward's End/B5350.
Ward's End51 m
Keep left to stay on Ward's End.
Ward's End132 m
Turn right onto South Street.
South Street84 m
Turn left onto Woodgate/B5350.
Woodgate5 m
Turn right onto Beehive Lane.
Beehive Lane56 m
Turn right onto Southfield Road/B5350.
Southfield Road309 m
Move right onto Royland Road/B5350.
Royland Road87 m
Move right onto Forest Road/B5350.
Forest Road106 m
Turn left onto Browns Lane.
Browns Lane289 m
Turn right onto Frederick Street.
Frederick Street352 m
Turn right onto Ashby Road/A512. Continue on A512.
A512156 m
Turn left onto The Rushes/A512.
The Rushes141 m
Turn right to take the A6 ramp.
A6224 m
Turn right onto A6/Fennel Street. Continue on A6.
A6740 m
Turn left onto A6/Leicester Road.
A675 m
Keep left to stay on A6.
A62.3 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 Road981 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. Continue on A6.
A62.1 km
Turn right onto King Street/A60.
King Street1.0 km
Turn right onto Nottingham Road/A60.
Nottingham Road42 m
Turn left onto Clarence Street/B589.
Clarence Street242 m
Turn right onto Meadow Lane.
Meadow Lane528 m
Turn right onto Station Boulevard.
Station Boulevard60 m
Keep left to take Station Boulevard/A6004.
Station Boulevard501 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 left onto A6/Leicester Road.
A6601 m
Move right onto Shelthorpe Road.
Shelthorpe Road27 m
Turn right to stay on Shelthorpe Road.
Shelthorpe Road648 m
Move left onto Park Road.
Park Road127 m
Enter Park Road Roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Ling Road/A6004.
Park Road Roundabout6 m
Exit the roundabout onto Ling Road/A6004.
Ling Road800 m
Enter Woodthorpe Roundabout and take the 5th exit onto Ling Road/A6004.
Woodthorpe Roundabout144 m
Exit the roundabout onto Ling Road/A6004.
Ling Road804 m
Enter Park Road Roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Park Road.
Park Road Roundabout4 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 2nd exit onto Park Road.
Park Road Roundabout39 m
Exit the roundabout onto Park Road.
Park Road126 m
Turn left to stay on Park Road.
Park Road106 m
Turn left onto Herrick Road.
Herrick Road255 m
Turn right onto Middleton Place.
Middleton Place31 m
Turn left to stay on Middleton Place.
Middleton Place35 m
Turn left onto Herrick Road.
Herrick Road119 m
Turn left onto Charnwood Road.
Charnwood Road97 m
Turn left onto Middleton Place.
Middleton Place98 m
Turn left to stay on Middleton Place.
Middleton Place126 m
Turn left to stay on Middleton Place.
Middleton Place31 m
Turn left onto Herrick Road.
Herrick Road254 m
Turn right onto Park Road.
Park Road106 m
Turn right to stay on Park Road.
Park Road76 m
Keep right to stay on Park Road.
Park Road50 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 2nd exit.
Park Road Roundabout38 m
Exit the roundabout onto Park Road.
Park Road126 m
Turn left to stay on Park Road.
Park Road498 m
Turn left onto Mayfield Drive.
Mayfield Drive646 m
Turn left onto Wallace Road.
Wallace Road250 m
Turn right onto Beacon Road.
Beacon Road158 m
Enter Beacon Road Roundabout and take the 4th exit onto Epinal Way/A6004.
Beacon Road Roundabout63 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. Continue on B5350.
B5350833 m
Keep right to stay on B5350.
B5350512 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Loughborough · Route 14 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 One Ash Roundabout, Forest Road Roundabout. Get into the correct lane early and check your exit mirror before leaving.
Dual-carriageway join
About 11.2 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 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.
Fat Sam's
Start near Fat Sam's.
Loughborough
Continue to Loughborough.
Booze Zone
Continue to Booze Zone.
All Saints' Parish Church
Continue to All Saints' Parish Church.
Packe Arms
Continue to Packe Arms.
Kings Arms
Continue to Kings Arms.
Rose and Crown
Continue to Rose and Crown.
Anchor Inn
Continue to Anchor Inn.
Amber Rooms
Continue to Amber Rooms.
Church of the Resurrection
Continue to Church of the Resurrection.
King's Church Loughborough
Continue to King's Church Loughborough.
Geeta Bhawan
Continue to Geeta Bhawan.
Junction Church
Continue to Junction Church.
One Ash Roundabout
Continue to One Ash Roundabout, taking the junction with good observation.
BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir
Continue to BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir.
Loughborough Mosque and Islamic Cultural Association
Continue to Loughborough Mosque and Islamic Cultural Association.
Jackson Coachworks
Continue to Jackson Coachworks.
Sacred Heart Catholic Church
Continue to Sacred Heart Catholic Church.
Forest Road Roundabout
Continue to Forest Road Roundabout, taking the junction with good observation.
Emmanuel Church
Finish back near Emmanuel Church, completing the loop.
8 roundabouts · 12 turns · 5 sets of lights
9 roundabouts · 21 turns · 7 sets of lights
7 roundabouts · 21 turns · 4 sets of lights
9 roundabouts · 10 turns · 6 sets of lights
This route is 66.1 km and takes about 40 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Loughborough test centre, not an official DVSA route.