Near Merthyr Tydfil test centre
Rated demanding from its real manoeuvre load, 18 roundabouts, 14 turns and 2 signalled junctions across 34 navigation steps.
This is an independent 131.4 km practice loop near Merthyr Tydfil test centre, taking roughly 50 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 Mountain Hare Roundabout and Leo's 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 independent driving. 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 stations, churches, pubs 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 Merthyr Tydfil 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 187-step drive on real, named roads (about 131.4 km). An indicative practice loop, not an official DVSA route — the roads and junctions are real, the sequence is a rehearsal.
Drive northeast.
25 m
Turn right.
253 m
Turn left.
101 m
Turn left onto Merthyr Road/A4054.
Merthyr Road1.0 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A4060.
96 m
Exit the roundabout onto A4060.
A4060880 m
Enter Abercanaid Roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A470.
Abercanaid Roundabout112 m
Exit the roundabout onto A470.
A4702.5 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A470.
58 m
Exit the roundabout onto A470.
A4701.9 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Swansea Road/A4102.
118 m
Exit the roundabout onto Swansea Road/A4102.
Swansea Road96 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Swansea Road/A4102.
40 m
Exit the roundabout onto Swansea Road/A4102.
Swansea Road471 m
Turn left onto Cyfarthfa Road/A4054.
Cyfarthfa Road484 m
Turn right to stay on Cyfarthfa Road/A4054.
Cyfarthfa Road45 m
Turn left onto Brecon Road/A4054. Continue on A4054.
A40541.2 km
Turn left onto Old Chapel Road.
Old Chapel Road36 m
Turn right onto Triongl.
Triongl61 m
Turn right to stay on Triongl.
Triongl90 m
Turn right to stay on Triongl.
Triongl18 m
Turn right onto High Street/A4054. Continue on A4054.
A40541.4 km
Turn right onto Cyfarthfa Road/A4054.
Cyfarthfa Road45 m
Turn left to stay on Cyfarthfa Road/A4054.
Cyfarthfa Road488 m
Turn left onto Joseph Parry Way/A4054.
A40541.5 km
Enter High Street and take the 3rd exit onto A4102.
High Street67 m
Exit the roundabout onto A4102.
A4102659 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A4102.
56 m
Exit the roundabout onto A4102.
A4102569 m
Enter Mountain Hare Roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A4060.
Mountain Hare Roundabout96 m
Exit the roundabout onto A4060.
A40602.2 km
Enter Leo's Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A4060.
Leo's Roundabout26 m
Exit the roundabout onto A4060.
A4060211 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto A4060.
23 m
Exit the roundabout onto A4060.
A4060880 m
Enter Abercanaid Roundabout and take the 1st exit onto A470.
Abercanaid Roundabout25 m
Exit the roundabout onto A470.
A4708.9 km
Enter Abercynon Roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A4059.
Abercynon Roundabout196 m
Exit the roundabout onto A4059.
A40595.9 km
Turn left.
14 m
Move right onto Pryce Street.
Pryce Street194 m
Turn left onto Dyffryn Street.
Dyffryn Street120 m
Turn left onto Knight Street.
Knight Street76 m
Turn left onto Oxford Street/B4275.
Oxford Street124 m
Turn right.
67 m
Turn left onto Ffrwd Crescent.
Ffrwd Crescent79 m
Turn right to stay on Ffrwd Crescent.
Ffrwd Crescent18 m
Turn right onto A4059.
A40596.0 km
Enter Abercynon Roundabout and take the 1st exit onto A470.
Abercynon Roundabout28 m
Exit the roundabout onto A470.
A4708.9 km
Enter Abercanaid Roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A4060.
Abercanaid Roundabout109 m
Exit the roundabout onto A4060.
A4060883 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A4060.
76 m
Exit the roundabout onto A4060.
A4060205 m
Enter Leo's Roundabout and take the 4th exit onto A4060.
Leo's Roundabout74 m
Exit the roundabout onto A4060.
A4060137 m
Turn left onto Dyffryn Road.
Dyffryn Road75 m
Turn left to stay on Dyffryn Road.
Dyffryn Road236 m
Turn right.
9 m
Make a right U-turn.
9 m
Turn left onto St. James Close.
St. James Close124 m
Turn left onto Dyffryn Road.
Dyffryn Road501 m
Turn right onto Maestaf Street.
Maestaf Street131 m
Turn right onto Merthyr Road/A4054.
Merthyr Road535 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A4060.
47 m
Exit the roundabout onto A4060.
A4060205 m
Enter Leo's Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A4060.
Leo's Roundabout28 m
Exit the roundabout onto A4060.
A40602.3 km
Enter Mountain Hare Roundabout and take the 4th exit onto A4060.
Mountain Hare Roundabout128 m
Exit the roundabout onto A4060.
A4060729 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on A4060.
A4060738 m
Enter Mountain Hare Roundabout and take the 1st exit onto A4102.
Mountain Hare Roundabout8 m
Exit the roundabout onto A4102.
A4102579 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Goat Mill Road.
29 m
Exit the roundabout onto Goat Mill Road.
Goat Mill Road490 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Goat Mill Road.
26 m
Exit the roundabout onto Goat Mill Road.
Goat Mill Road872 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Victoria Street.
47 m
Exit the roundabout onto Victoria Street.
Victoria Street456 m
Turn left onto Mount Pleasant Street.
Mount Pleasant Street65 m
Turn right onto Alma Street.
Alma Street44 m
Turn left onto Broad Street.
Broad Street95 m
Turn left onto Cross Morlais Street.
Cross Morlais Street45 m
Turn left onto Mount Pleasant Street.
Mount Pleasant Street159 m
Turn right onto Victoria Street.
Victoria Street456 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Goat Mill Road.
43 m
Exit the roundabout onto Goat Mill Road.
Goat Mill Road873 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Goat Mill Road.
26 m
Exit the roundabout onto Goat Mill Road.
Goat Mill Road492 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A4102.
28 m
Exit the roundabout onto A4102.
A4102519 m
Turn right onto Twynyrodyn Road.
Twynyrodyn Road459 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 4th exit onto Twynyrodyn Road.
43 m
Exit the roundabout onto Twynyrodyn Road.
Twynyrodyn Road351 m
Turn left onto Mansfield Terrace.
Mansfield Terrace810 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Baden Terrace.
32 m
Exit the roundabout onto Baden Terrace.
Baden Terrace356 m
Turn left onto A4102.
A4102157 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto High Street.
74 m
Exit the roundabout onto High Street.
High Street945 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Balaclava Road.
12 m
Exit the roundabout onto Balaclava Road.
Balaclava Road167 m
Turn right onto Upper Elizabeth Street.
Upper Elizabeth Street212 m
Turn left onto Berry Square.
Berry Square172 m
Turn right onto Broad Street.
Broad Street95 m
Turn right onto Alma Street.
Alma Street44 m
Turn left onto Mount Pleasant Street.
Mount Pleasant Street65 m
Turn right onto Victoria Street.
Victoria Street456 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Goat Mill Road.
43 m
Exit the roundabout onto Goat Mill Road.
Goat Mill Road873 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Goat Mill Road.
26 m
Exit the roundabout onto Goat Mill Road.
Goat Mill Road492 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A4102.
28 m
Exit the roundabout onto A4102.
A4102569 m
Enter Mountain Hare Roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A4060.
Mountain Hare Roundabout96 m
Exit the roundabout onto A4060.
A40602.2 km
Enter Leo's Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A4060.
Leo's Roundabout26 m
Exit the roundabout onto A4060.
A4060211 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto A4060.
23 m
Exit the roundabout onto A4060.
A4060880 m
Enter Abercanaid Roundabout and take the 1st exit onto A470.
Abercanaid Roundabout25 m
Exit the roundabout onto A470.
A4708.9 km
Enter Abercynon Roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A4059.
Abercynon Roundabout196 m
Exit the roundabout onto A4059.
A40596.1 km
Turn right onto Dyffryn Road.
Dyffryn Road71 m
Turn left to stay on Dyffryn Road.
Dyffryn Road263 m
Move left.
508 m
Keep left to take The Avenue.
The Avenue1.4 km
Make a sharp left.
368 m
Make a right U-turn.
368 m
Make a sharp right onto The Avenue.
The Avenue1.9 km
Move right onto Dyffryn Road.
Dyffryn Road263 m
Turn right to stay on Dyffryn Road.
Dyffryn Road71 m
Turn left onto A4059.
A40596.1 km
Enter Abercynon Roundabout and take the 1st exit onto A470.
Abercynon Roundabout28 m
Exit the roundabout onto A470.
A4708.9 km
Enter Abercanaid Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A470.
Abercanaid Roundabout56 m
Exit the roundabout onto A470.
A4702.5 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A470.
58 m
Exit the roundabout onto A470.
A4701.9 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Swansea Road/A4102.
118 m
Exit the roundabout onto Swansea Road/A4102.
Swansea Road96 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Swansea Road/A4102.
40 m
Exit the roundabout onto Swansea Road/A4102.
A41021.6 km
Turn right onto Trevethick Street.
Trevethick Street138 m
Turn left onto Gwynnes Close.
Gwynnes Close36 m
Turn left.
61 m
Turn left onto Penydarren Road/A4102. Continue on A4102.
A4102527 m
Turn right onto Brecon Road.
Brecon Road337 m
Turn right onto Dane Street.
Dane Street125 m
Turn right onto Norman Terrace.
Norman Terrace112 m
Turn right.
126 m
Turn left onto Brecon Road.
Brecon Road5 m
Turn right onto Vulcan Road.
Vulcan Road141 m
Turn left onto Quarry Row.
Quarry Row82 m
Turn right to stay on Quarry Row.
Quarry Row23 m
Turn left onto Bethesda Street/A4102. Continue on A4102.
A41021.0 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto High Street.
40 m
Exit the roundabout onto High Street.
High Street945 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Balaclava Road.
12 m
Exit the roundabout onto Balaclava Road.
Balaclava Road167 m
Turn right onto Upper Elizabeth Street.
Upper Elizabeth Street212 m
Turn left onto Berry Square.
Berry Square172 m
Turn right onto Broad Street.
Broad Street95 m
Turn right onto Alma Street.
Alma Street44 m
Turn left onto Mount Pleasant Street.
Mount Pleasant Street65 m
Turn right onto Victoria Street.
Victoria Street456 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto High Street.
14 m
Exit the roundabout onto High Street.
High Street1.2 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit.
32 m
Exit the roundabout onto A465/Heads of the Valleys Road.
A4655.0 km
Take the exit.
369 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto A470.
24 m
Exit the roundabout onto A470.
A4701.4 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A470.
61 m
Exit the roundabout onto A470.
A4701.9 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto A4102.
12 m
Exit the roundabout onto A4102.
A4102313 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A4102.
43 m
Exit the roundabout onto A4102.
A4102232 m
Enter High Street and take the 3rd exit onto High Street/A4054.
High Street77 m
Exit the roundabout onto High Street/A4054. Continue on A4054.
A40541.2 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Merthyr Road/A4054.
42 m
Exit the roundabout onto Merthyr Road/A4054.
Merthyr Road882 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Merthyr Road/A4054.
88 m
Exit the roundabout onto Merthyr Road/A4054.
Merthyr Road535 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Merthyr Tydfil · Route 3 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 Mountain Hare Roundabout, Leo's Roundabout. Get into the correct lane early and check your exit mirror before leaving.
Dual-carriageway join
About 64.2 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.
Pentre-bach
Start near Pentre-bach.
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Continue to Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Drovers
Continue to Drovers.
Taffy
Continue to Taffy.
Mountain Hare Roundabout
Continue to Mountain Hare Roundabout, taking the junction with good observation.
Ysgol Gymraeg Abercynon
Continue to Ysgol Gymraeg Abercynon.
Bethania Chapel
Continue to Bethania Chapel.
Jeffrey's Arms
Continue to Jeffrey's Arms.
Leo's Roundabout
Continue to Leo's Roundabout, taking the junction with good observation.
Greenfield Special School
Continue to Greenfield Special School.
Pentrebach Poplar Terrace
Continue to Pentrebach Poplar Terrace.
tyreman
Continue to tyreman.
Farmers Arms
Continue to Farmers Arms.
horeb welsh independant chapel
Continue to horeb welsh independant chapel.
St Margaret's Church
Continue to St Margaret's Church.
Park View
Continue to Park View.
Hebron Evangelical Church
Continue to Hebron Evangelical Church.
Tredegar Arms
Continue to Tredegar Arms.
Lextan
Continue to Lextan.
King David Tyres
Finish back near King David Tyres, completing the loop.
9 roundabouts · 16 turns
14 roundabouts · 13 turns · 1 set of lights
12 roundabouts · 13 turns · 2 sets of lights
21 roundabouts · 8 turns · 2 sets of lights
This route is 131.4 km and takes about 50 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Merthyr Tydfil test centre, not an official DVSA route.