Near Loughborough test centre
Rated easy from its real manoeuvre load, 4 roundabouts, 8 turns and 6 signalled junctions across 17 navigation steps.
This is an independent 46.9 km practice route near Loughborough test centre, taking roughly 25 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, Alan Moss Road Roundabout, Warwick Way 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 churches, pubs, shops 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 100-step drive on real, named roads (about 47.8 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.
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
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 Road345 m
Turn left onto Thurcaston Lane.
Thurcaston Lane958 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 2nd exit onto A6.
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.
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 Street158 m
Turn right onto Baxter Gate.
Baxter Gate173 m
Turn left onto A6/Lemyngton Street. Continue on A6.
A6386 m
Turn left onto A6/Bridge Street.
A6175 m
Turn left onto The Rushes/A512. Continue on A512.
A512256 m
Turn right onto Derby Square/A512. Continue on A512.
A512166 m
Keep right to stay on A512.
A512519 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 4th exit onto Epinal Way.
Warwick Way Roundabout89 m
Exit the roundabout onto Epinal Way.
Epinal Way449 m
Keep right to stay on Epinal Way.
Epinal Way124 m
Enter Alan Moss Road Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Epinal Way/A6004.
Alan Moss Road Roundabout63 m
Exit the roundabout onto Epinal Way/A6004.
Epinal Way241 m
Turn right onto Garendon Road.
Garendon Road480 m
Turn right onto Alan Moss Road.
Alan Moss Road351 m
Enter Alan Moss Road Roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Epinal Way.
Alan Moss Road Roundabout4 m
Exit the roundabout onto Epinal Way.
Epinal Way582 m
Enter Warwick Way Roundabout and take the 4th exit.
Warwick Way Roundabout89 m
Exit the roundabout onto Epinal Way.
Epinal Way449 m
Keep right to stay on Epinal Way.
Epinal Way124 m
Enter Alan Moss Road Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Epinal Way/A6004.
Alan Moss Road Roundabout63 m
Exit the roundabout onto Epinal Way/A6004.
Epinal Way443 m
Enter Ashby Road Roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Ashby Road/A512.
Ashby Road Roundabout3 m
Exit the roundabout onto Ashby Road/A512.
Ashby Road547 m
Keep right to stay on Ashby Road/A512.
Ashby Road107 m
Turn left onto Storer Road.
Storer Road218 m
Turn left onto Fearon Street.
Fearon Street143 m
Turn left onto Cumberland Road.
Cumberland Road74 m
Turn right onto Ashby Road/A512.
Ashby Road436 m
Enter Ashby Road Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Ashby Road.
Ashby Road Roundabout53 m
Exit the roundabout onto Ashby Road.
Ashby Road1.5 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Ashby Road/A512.
41 m
Exit the roundabout onto Ashby Road/A512.
Ashby Road1.0 km
Turn left onto Snells Nook Lane.
Snells Nook Lane1.2 km
Turn left onto Nanpantan Road.
Nanpantan Road472 m
Keep right to stay on Nanpantan Road.
Nanpantan Road127 m
Keep right to stay on Nanpantan Road.
Nanpantan Road2.3 km
Enter Forest Road Roundabout and take the 4th exit onto Forest Road.
Forest Road Roundabout96 m
Exit the roundabout onto Forest Road.
Forest Road243 m
Turn left onto Holt Drive.
Holt Drive432 m
Turn left to stay on Holt Drive.
Holt Drive51 m
Turn left to stay on Holt Drive.
Holt Drive55 m
Turn left to stay on Holt Drive.
Holt Drive50 m
Turn right to stay on Holt Drive.
Holt Drive377 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 Road383 m
Keep left to stay on B5350.
B5350449 m
Keep right to stay on B5350.
B5350512 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Loughborough · Route 5 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.
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 Alan Moss Road Roundabout, Warwick Way Roundabout, Forest Road Roundabout. Get into the correct lane early and check your exit mirror before leaving.
Dual-carriageway join
About 16.2 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, 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.
Quorndon Fox
Continue to Quorndon Fox.
White Horse
Continue to White Horse.
Tebbatt Electronics
Continue to Tebbatt Electronics.
Wheatsheaf
Continue to Wheatsheaf.
Ashton Green Road
Continue to Ashton Green Road, taking the junction with good observation.
Dolphin Autocentre
Continue to Dolphin Autocentre.
Lougborough Salvation Army Church and Community Centre
Continue to Lougborough Salvation Army Church and Community Centre.
Saint Mary's
Continue to Saint Mary's.
Alan Moss Road Roundabout
Continue to Alan Moss Road Roundabout, taking the junction with good observation.
Warwick Way Roundabout
Continue to Warwick Way Roundabout, taking the junction with good observation.
Loughborough Campus Nursery
Continue to Loughborough Campus Nursery.
St Peter's Centre
Continue to St Peter's Centre.
BP Shop
Continue to BP Shop.
Priory Inn
Continue to Priory Inn.
Forest Road Roundabout
Continue to Forest Road Roundabout, taking the junction with good observation.
Londis
Continue to Londis.
Church of the Resurrection
Continue to Church of the Resurrection.
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 46.9 km and takes about 25 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Loughborough test centre, not an official DVSA route.