Skip to content
Practice route
ModerateLoop

Peterhead · Residential practice loop

Near Peterhead test centre

18.6 km
Distance
18 min
Duration
Moderate
Difficulty
53
Manoeuvres
Difficulty: Demanding

Rated demanding from its real manoeuvre load, 20 roundabouts and 25 turns across 60 navigation steps.

How this route is examined

This is an independent 18.6 km practice loop near Peterhead test centre, taking roughly 18 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 Invernettie Roundabout, West Road and Howe of Buchan 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 roundabout approach & exit, independent driving 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 named junctions, shops, pubs 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 Peterhead 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.

Manoeuvre breakdown

What you’ll actually do on this loop, counted from its turn-by-turn directions.

25
Left turns
0
Right turns
20
Roundabouts
0
Traffic lights
60
Total steps

Skills & features

2
Roundabouts
20
Landmarks

This route helps you practise:

  • Roundabout approach & exit
  • Independent driving
  • Sustained concentration

Turn-by-turn directions

The full 60-step drive on real, named roads (about 18.8 km). An indicative practice loop, not an official DVSA route — the roads and junctions are real, the sequence is a rehearsal.

  1. Depart:

    Drive southeast.

    17 m

  2. Turn left:

    Turn left.

    21 m

  3. Turn right:

    Turn right.

    37 m

  4. Turn right:

    Turn right onto South Road.

    South Road80 m

  5. Turn right:

    Turn right.

    21 m

  6. Turn left:

    Move left onto South Base Road.

    South Base Road36 m

  7. Roundabout:

    Enter Invernettie Roundabout and take the 4th exit onto A982.

    Invernettie Roundabout108 m

  8. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto A982.

    A982755 m

  9. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Meethill Road.

    Meethill Road1.1 km

  10. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Meethill Road.

    41 m

  11. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto Meethill Road.

    Meethill Road421 m

  12. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Abernethy Road.

    Abernethy Road85 m

  13. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Henderson Park.

    Henderson Park42 m

  14. Turn right:

    Turn right to stay on Henderson Park.

    Henderson Park34 m

  15. Turn right:

    Turn right to stay on Henderson Park.

    Henderson Park32 m

  16. Turn right:

    Turn right to stay on Henderson Park.

    Henderson Park14 m

  17. U-turn:

    Make a right U-turn to stay on Henderson Park.

    Henderson Park14 m

  18. Turn left:

    Turn left to stay on Henderson Park.

    Henderson Park32 m

  19. Turn left:

    Turn left to stay on Henderson Park.

    Henderson Park34 m

  20. Turn left:

    Turn left to stay on Henderson Park.

    Henderson Park42 m

  21. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Abernethy Road.

    Abernethy Road85 m

  22. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Meethill Road.

    Meethill Road97 m

  23. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto A950.

    12 m

  24. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto A950.

    A950740 m

  25. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto West Road/A950.

    54 m

  26. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto West Road/A950.

    West Road187 m

  27. Roundabout:

    Enter Howe of Buchan Roundabout and take the 1st exit onto A90/Peterhead Bypass.

    Howe of Buchan Roundabout23 m

  28. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto A90/Peterhead Bypass.

    A903.1 km

  29. Roundabout:

    Enter Invernettie Roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A90.

    Invernettie Roundabout108 m

  30. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto A90.

    A902.1 km

  31. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Station Road/B9108. Continue on B9108.

    B9108521 m

  32. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Skerry Park.

    Skerry Park49 m

  33. Turn right:

    Turn right to stay on Skerry Park.

    Skerry Park73 m

  34. Turn left:

    Turn left.

    18 m

  35. Turn left:

    Turn left.

    5 m

  36. U-turn:

    Make a right U-turn.

    5 m

  37. Turn right:

    Turn right.

    18 m

  38. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Skerry Park.

    Skerry Park73 m

  39. Turn left:

    Turn left to stay on Skerry Park.

    Skerry Park49 m

  40. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Seaview Road/B9108. Continue on B9108.

    B9108521 m

  41. Turn right:

    Turn right onto A90.

    A902.1 km

  42. Roundabout:

    Enter Invernettie Roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A982.

    Invernettie Roundabout67 m

  43. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto A982.

    A9822.3 km

  44. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Kirk Street/A950.

    10 m

  45. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto Kirk Street/A950. Continue on A950.

    A950266 m

  46. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Station Road.

    Station Road188 m

  47. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Peter Buchan Drive.

    Peter Buchan Drive101 m

  48. U-turn:

    Make a right U-turn to stay on Peter Buchan Drive.

    Peter Buchan Drive101 m

  49. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Station Road.

    Station Road188 m

  50. Turn left:

    Turn left onto West Road/A950. Continue on A950.

    A950266 m

  51. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto South Road/A982.

    62 m

  52. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto South Road/A982. Continue on A982.

    A9822.3 km

  53. Roundabout:

    Enter Invernettie Roundabout and take the 1st exit onto South Base Road.

    Invernettie Roundabout21 m

  54. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto South Base Road.

    South Base Road42 m

  55. Turn left:

    Move left.

    21 m

  56. Turn left:

    Turn left onto South Road.

    South Road80 m

  57. Turn left:

    Turn left.

    37 m

  58. Turn left:

    Turn left.

    21 m

  59. Turn right:

    Turn right.

    17 m

  60. Arrive:

    You have arrived at your destination.

Directions for the Peterhead · Residential practice loop loop. Always drive to the road and conditions you see, not the list — signs, signals and other traffic take priority.

Local roads & landmarks

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.

Junctions & roundabouts

Decide your lane and exit on the approach to each of these, get set up early.

  • Invernettie Roundabout
  • West Road
  • Howe of Buchan Roundabout

Churches

Useful navigation anchors on the loop.

  • Church Of Christ
  • c

Pubs

Easy landmarks to navigate the loop by.

  • Harbour Spring
  • Rocksley Inn

Shops & parades

Frequent stop-start traffic and pedestrians, keep your speed down.

  • KFC
  • Arnold Clark Ford Peterhead
  • McDonald's
  • Ace Computing

Watch out for

  • Roundabout

    Watch your lane discipline and signalling at Invernettie Roundabout, Howe of Buchan Roundabout. Get into the correct lane early and check your exit mirror before leaving.

Drive it: landmark by landmark

Navigate by these 20 catalogued landmarks rather than a memorised turn list, an indicative loop, not an official DVSA route.

  1. Invernettie Roundabout

    Start near Invernettie Roundabout.

  2. KFC

    Continue to KFC.

  3. West Road

    Continue to West Road, taking the junction with good observation.

  4. Howe of Buchan Roundabout

    Continue to Howe of Buchan Roundabout, taking the junction with good observation.

  5. Arnold Clark Ford Peterhead

    Continue to Arnold Clark Ford Peterhead.

  6. Harbour Spring

    Continue to Harbour Spring.

  7. McDonald's

    Continue to McDonald's.

  8. Ace Computing

    Continue to Ace Computing.

  9. Rocksley Inn

    Continue to Rocksley Inn.

  10. Londis

    Continue to Londis.

  11. Stevensons Car Sales

    Continue to Stevensons Car Sales.

  12. Church Of Christ

    Continue to Church Of Christ.

  13. Sailors Memorial

    Continue to Sailors Memorial.

  14. Spar

    Continue to Spar.

  15. WW1 War Memorial

    Continue to WW1 War Memorial.

  16. WW2 War Memorial

    Continue to WW2 War Memorial.

  17. c

    Continue to c.

  18. 5th Battalion Gordon Highlanders WW1 War Memorial

    Continue to 5th Battalion Gordon Highlanders WW1 War Memorial.

  19. Aldi

    Continue to Aldi.

  20. Peterhead Motors

    Finish back near Peterhead Motors, completing the loop.

More routes at Peterhead test centre

Route FAQs

This route is 18.6 km and takes about 18 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Peterhead test centre, not an official DVSA route.