Near Loughborough test centre
Rated challenging from its real manoeuvre load, 6 roundabouts, 20 turns and 6 signalled junctions across 29 navigation steps.
This is an independent 37.7 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 Warwick Way 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, 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, schools 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 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 117-step drive on real, named roads (about 39.6 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.
Leicester Road105 m
Turn right onto Southfield Road/B5350. Continue on B5350.
B5350514 m
Move left onto Park Road.
Park Road832 m
Turn right to stay on 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 Road130 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 1st exit onto Beacon Road.
Beacon Road Roundabout5 m
Exit the roundabout onto Beacon Road.
Beacon Road98 m
Turn left onto Beacon Drive.
Beacon Drive168 m
Turn left onto Blackham Road.
Blackham Road85 m
Turn left onto Lansdowne Drive.
Lansdowne Drive171 m
Turn right onto Beacon Road.
Beacon Road39 m
Enter Beacon Road Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Beacon Road.
Beacon Road Roundabout30 m
Exit the roundabout onto Beacon Road.
Beacon Road257 m
Turn left onto Colgrove Road.
Colgrove Road303 m
Turn left onto Wallace Road.
Wallace Road250 m
Turn left onto Beacon Road.
Beacon Road377 m
Turn left onto Park Road.
Park Road131 m
Move right onto Forest Road/B5350.
Forest Road106 m
Turn right onto Browns Lane.
Browns Lane59 m
Turn right onto Royland Road/B5350.
Royland Road119 m
Move right to stay on 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 Street72 m
Turn left onto Arthur Street.
Arthur Street144 m
Turn left onto William Street.
William Street204 m
Turn left onto Burfield Avenue.
Burfield Avenue178 m
Turn left onto Frederick Street.
Frederick Street102 m
Keep left to stay on Frederick Street.
Frederick Street113 m
Turn left onto Arthur Street.
Arthur Street144 m
Turn left onto William Street.
William Street54 m
Turn right onto York Road.
York Road219 m
Turn left onto Radmoor Road.
Radmoor Road386 m
Turn right to stay on Radmoor Road.
Radmoor Road463 m
Turn left onto Ashby Road/A512.
Ashby Road141 m
Keep left to stay on Ashby Road/A512.
Ashby Road547 m
Enter Ashby Road Roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Epinal Way/A6004.
Ashby Road Roundabout97 m
Exit the roundabout onto Epinal Way/A6004.
Epinal Way442 m
Enter Alan Moss Road Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Epinal Way.
Alan Moss Road Roundabout49 m
Exit the roundabout onto Epinal Way.
Epinal Way76 m
Keep straight to stay on Epinal Way.
Epinal Way505 m
Enter Warwick Way Roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Warwick Way.
Warwick Way Roundabout60 m
Exit the roundabout onto Warwick Way.
Warwick Way587 m
Enter Bishop Meadow Roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A6/Derby Road.
Bishop Meadow Roundabout103 m
Exit the roundabout onto A6/Derby Road.
A6893 m
Turn right.
36 m
Make a sharp right onto Alan Moss Road/A6004.
Alan Moss Road29 m
Turn left onto A6/Derby Road.
A6773 m
Keep right to stay on A6/Derby Road.
A689 m
Enter Bishop Meadow Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A6/Derby Road.
Bishop Meadow Roundabout57 m
Exit the roundabout onto A6/Derby Road.
A6560 m
Keep right to stay on A6/Derby Road.
A6221 m
Keep left to stay on A6/Derby Road.
A6171 m
Keep right to stay on A6/Derby Road.
A6528 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A6/Derby Road.
49 m
Exit the roundabout onto A6/Derby Road.
A6268 m
Keep right to stay on A6/Derby Road.
A6130 m
Keep right to stay on A6.
A6925 m
Turn right onto Narrow Lane.
Narrow Lane290 m
Turn right onto Dovecote Street.
Dovecote Street224 m
Turn right onto Wide Street.
Wide Street230 m
Turn left onto A6/Loughborough Road.
A6974 m
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.
A6879 m
Exit the roundabout onto A6/Derby Road.
A655 m
Keep right to stay on A6.
A61.3 km
Move left onto A6/Bridge Street.
A6899 m
Turn left onto Nottingham Road/A60.
Nottingham Road560 m
Move right to stay on Nottingham Road/A60.
Nottingham Road59 m
Keep left to stay on A60.
A601.2 km
Keep left to take Loughborough Road/A60.
Loughborough Road2.2 km
Turn right onto Prestwold Lane.
Prestwold Lane106 m
Keep left to stay on Prestwold Lane.
Prestwold Lane325 m
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 Road845 m
Turn right onto Belton Road West Extension.
Belton Road West Extension1.0 km
Turn right onto Bishop Meadow Road.
Bishop Meadow Road291 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 4th exit onto Bishop Meadow Road.
65 m
Exit the roundabout onto Bishop Meadow Road.
Bishop Meadow Road291 m
Turn left onto Belton Road West.
Belton Road West1.0 km
Turn left onto Belton Road/A6004.
Belton Road812 m
Turn left onto Meadow Lane/A6004. Continue on Meadow Lane.
Meadow Lane209 m
Make a right U-turn at Station Boulevard to stay on Meadow Lane.
Meadow Lane537 m
Turn left onto Clarence Street/B589.
Clarence Street241 m
Turn right onto Nottingham Road/A60.
Nottingham Road382 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 Hill27 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Loughborough · Route 4 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
Watch your lane discipline and signalling at Warwick Way Roundabout. Get into the correct lane early and check your exit mirror before leaving.
Dual-carriageway join
About 10.0 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 (30, 40, 50 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.
Trinity Methodist Church
Continue to Trinity Methodist Church.
White Horse
Continue to White Horse.
Sacred Heart Catholic Church
Continue to Sacred Heart Catholic Church.
Church of the Resurrection
Continue to Church of the Resurrection.
Higher Education Centre
Continue to Higher Education Centre.
Hub
Continue to Hub.
Lougborough Salvation Army Church and Community Centre
Continue to Lougborough Salvation Army Church and Community Centre.
Saint Mary's
Continue to Saint Mary's.
Warwick Way Roundabout
Continue to Warwick Way Roundabout, taking the junction with good observation.
Ring O'Bells
Continue to Ring O'Bells.
Dew Drop
Continue to Dew Drop.
Hathern Club
Continue to Hathern Club.
Toothill Convenience Store
Continue to Toothill Convenience Store.
Loughborough
Continue to Loughborough.
B&Q
Continue to B&Q.
Listers Volkswagen Loughborough
Continue to Listers Volkswagen Loughborough.
Boat Inn
Continue to Boat Inn.
Tap and Mallet
Finish back near Tap and Mallet, 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 37.7 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.