Near Shirley test centre
Rated easy from its real manoeuvre load, 7 roundabouts, 8 turns and 2 signalled junctions across 19 navigation steps.
This is an independent 51.6 km practice route near Shirley test centre, taking roughly 30 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 Copt Hill Interchange, Monkspath Hall Road, Highlands Road and Marshall Lake Road. 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, shops, named junctions and schools, 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 Shirley 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 140-step drive on real, named roads (about 51.7 km). An indicative practice loop, not an official DVSA route — the roads and junctions are real, the sequence is a rehearsal.
Drive west.
144 m
Turn right.
15 m
Turn right onto A34/Stratford Road.
A34140 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Union Road.
54 m
Exit the roundabout onto Union Road.
Union Road620 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Longmore Road.
6 m
Exit the roundabout onto Longmore Road.
Longmore Road307 m
Turn right onto Blenheim Road.
Blenheim Road97 m
Turn right onto Barford Road.
Barford Road227 m
Turn right.
90 m
Turn right onto Yoxall Road.
Yoxall Road203 m
Turn left onto Longmore Road.
Longmore Road82 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Longmore Road.
9 m
Exit the roundabout onto Longmore Road.
Longmore Road548 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Widney Lane.
5 m
Exit the roundabout onto Widney Lane.
Widney Lane770 m
Turn left onto Whitefields Road.
Whitefields Road986 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Monkspath Hall Road.
4 m
Exit the roundabout onto Monkspath Hall Road.
Monkspath Hall Road241 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Monkspath Hall Road.
27 m
Exit the roundabout onto Monkspath Hall Road.
Monkspath Hall Road300 m
Keep left to stay on Monkspath Hall Road.
Monkspath Hall Road61 m
Move left onto Prince's Way.
Prince's Way380 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Lode Lane/B4102.
98 m
Exit the roundabout onto Lode Lane/B4102.
Lode Lane282 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Warwick Road/B425.
2 m
Exit the roundabout onto Warwick Road/B425.
Warwick Road289 m
Turn right onto Manor Road.
Manor Road441 m
Turn right.
62 m
Make a right U-turn.
62 m
Turn left onto Manor Road.
Manor Road441 m
Turn left onto Warwick Road/B425.
Warwick Road287 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Lode Lane/B4102.
60 m
Exit the roundabout onto Lode Lane/B4102.
Lode Lane273 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Princes Way.
31 m
Exit the roundabout onto Princes Way.
Princes Way712 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Church Hill Road.
76 m
Exit the roundabout onto Church Hill Road.
Church Hill Road444 m
Move left onto Widney Manor Road.
Widney Manor Road2.5 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Widney Road.
24 m
Exit the roundabout onto Widney Road.
Widney Road364 m
Turn left onto Widney Close.
Widney Close67 m
Move right.
46 m
Turn right.
14 m
Make a right U-turn.
14 m
Turn left.
46 m
Move left onto Widney Close.
Widney Close67 m
Turn left onto Widney Road.
Widney Road194 m
Turn right onto Slater Road.
Slater Road429 m
Turn left onto Newlands Road.
Newlands Road253 m
Turn right onto Hurst Green Road.
Hurst Green Road229 m
Turn left onto Milton Road.
Milton Road134 m
Turn right onto Widney Road.
Widney Road76 m
Turn left onto Tilehouse Green Lane.
Tilehouse Green Lane1.2 km
Move right onto Lady Byron Lane.
Lady Byron Lane1.3 km
Turn left onto Solihull Bypass/A4141.
Solihull Bypass211 m
Enter Copt Hill Interchange and take the 2nd exit onto A41/Solihull Bypass.
Copt Hill Interchange159 m
Exit the roundabout onto A41/Solihull Bypass.
A41537 m
Take the exit.
439 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Warwick Road/B4025.
56 m
Exit the roundabout onto Warwick Road/B4025. Continue on Warwick Road.
Warwick Road1.3 km
Turn left onto Poplar Road.
Poplar Road108 m
Turn left onto Delivery Area E.
Delivery Area E155 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Delivery Area E.
Delivery Area E155 m
Turn right onto Poplar Road.
Poplar Road108 m
Turn left onto Warwick Road/B4102.
Warwick Road112 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Warwick Road/B425.
29 m
Exit the roundabout onto Warwick Road/B425. Continue on Warwick Road.
Warwick Road2.1 km
Turn left onto Grange Road.
Grange Road789 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto St Bernards Road.
13 m
Exit the roundabout onto St Bernards Road.
St Bernards Road850 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Streetsbrook Road/B4025.
4 m
Exit the roundabout onto Streetsbrook Road/B4025.
Streetsbrook Road2.2 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Princes Way.
98 m
Exit the roundabout onto Princes Way.
Princes Way712 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Church Hill Road.
76 m
Exit the roundabout onto Church Hill Road.
Church Hill Road444 m
Move left onto Widney Manor Road.
Widney Manor Road2.5 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Four Ashes Road.
37 m
Exit the roundabout onto Four Ashes Road.
Four Ashes Road3.0 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Kineton Lane.
75 m
Exit the roundabout onto Kineton Lane.
Kineton Lane1.8 km
Turn right onto Spitfire Avenue.
Spitfire Avenue67 m
Turn right.
49 m
Turn left onto Box Tree Lane.
Box Tree Lane81 m
Turn left.
59 m
Turn left onto Spitfire Avenue.
Spitfire Avenue163 m
Turn left onto Stroudley Road.
Stroudley Road413 m
Turn right onto Kineton Lane.
Kineton Lane351 m
Move left onto Dyers Lane.
Dyers Lane154 m
Turn right onto Illshaw Heath Road.
Illshaw Heath Road1.9 km
Turn right onto Tanworth Lane/B4102.
Tanworth Lane1.7 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Tanworth Lane/B4102.
45 m
Exit the roundabout onto Tanworth Lane/B4102.
Tanworth Lane114 m
Turn left to stay on Tanworth Lane.
Tanworth Lane30 m
Turn right to stay on Tanworth Lane.
Tanworth Lane940 m
Turn left onto A34/Stratford Road.
A34422 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A34/Stratford Road.
29 m
Exit the roundabout onto A34/Stratford Road.
A34547 m
Turn right onto Solihull Road.
Solihull Road23 m
Turn right.
77 m
Turn right.
11 m
Turn left onto A34/Stratford Road.
A34468 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A34/Stratford Road.
35 m
Exit the roundabout onto A34/Stratford Road.
A34529 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A34/Stratford Road.
29 m
Exit the roundabout onto A34/Stratford Road.
A34402 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A34/Stratford Road.
23 m
Exit the roundabout onto A34/Stratford Road. Continue on A34.
A34381 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A34/Stratford Road.
45 m
Exit the roundabout onto A34/Stratford Road.
A34459 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A34/Stratford Road.
46 m
Exit the roundabout onto A34/Stratford Road.
A34482 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Monkspath Hall Road.
5 m
Exit the roundabout onto Monkspath Hall Road.
Monkspath Hall Road146 m
Keep right to stay on Monkspath Hall Road.
Monkspath Hall Road73 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Monkspath Hall Road.
68 m
Exit the roundabout onto Monkspath Hall Road.
Monkspath Hall Road209 m
Turn right onto Thornton Road.
Thornton Road395 m
Turn left onto Hay Lane.
Hay Lane449 m
Turn left onto Monkspath Hall Road.
Monkspath Hall Road661 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Highlands Road.
38 m
Exit the roundabout onto Highlands Road.
Highlands Road703 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Highlands Road.
23 m
Exit the roundabout onto Highlands Road.
Highlands Road689 m
Turn left onto Cranmore Boulevard.
Cranmore Boulevard205 m
Turn right onto Cranmore Road.
Cranmore Road425 m
Turn right onto Marshall Lake Road/B4102.
Marshall Lake Road38 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Marshall Lake Road/B4102.
38 m
Exit the roundabout onto Marshall Lake Road/B4102. Continue on B4102.
B4102409 m
Turn right onto Widney Lane.
Widney Lane232 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Widney Lane.
5 m
Exit the roundabout onto Widney Lane.
Widney Lane770 m
Turn left onto Whitefields Road.
Whitefields Road335 m
Turn left onto Dingle Lane.
Dingle Lane666 m
Turn left onto Blossomfield Road/B4102.
Blossomfield Road720 m
Turn right onto Longmore Road.
Longmore Road315 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Longmore Road.
24 m
Exit the roundabout onto Longmore Road.
Longmore Road268 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Shirley · Route 10 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
Approach in the correct lane, signal on the exit before yours, and keep checking your mirrors as you leave.
Dual-carriageway join
About 5.9 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.
Ale Hub Micropub
Start near Ale Hub Micropub.
Woodmans Rest
Continue to Woodmans Rest.
Butterfly Room
Continue to Butterfly Room.
Widney News
Continue to Widney News.
Copt Hill Interchange
Continue to Copt Hill Interchange, taking the junction with good observation.
Bradford House
Continue to Bradford House.
Christ Church United Reformed Church
Continue to Christ Church United Reformed Church.
O'Neill's
Continue to O'Neill's.
Walkabout
Continue to Walkabout.
Church of the Holy Ghost and Mary Immaculate
Continue to Church of the Holy Ghost and Mary Immaculate.
Solihull Fire Station
Continue to Solihull Fire Station.
Drum and Monkey
Continue to Drum and Monkey.
Johnsons Fiat / Alfa Romeo
Continue to Johnsons Fiat / Alfa Romeo.
Wedge's Bakers and Veg Shop
Continue to Wedge's Bakers and Veg Shop.
Active Angles
Continue to Active Angles.
Mad Hatters Day Nursery
Continue to Mad Hatters Day Nursery.
Monkspath Hall Road
Continue to Monkspath Hall Road, taking the junction with good observation.
Highlands Road
Continue to Highlands Road, taking the junction with good observation.
Marshall Lake Road
Continue to Marshall Lake Road, taking the junction with good observation.
New House
Finish back near New House, completing the loop.
9 roundabouts · 8 turns · 1 set of lights
4 roundabouts · 17 turns · 1 set of lights
4 roundabouts · 14 turns · 1 set of lights
10 roundabouts · 10 turns · 1 set of lights
This route is 51.6 km and takes about 30 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Shirley test centre, not an official DVSA route.