Near Shirley test centre
Rated easy from its real manoeuvre load, 9 roundabouts, 8 turns and 1 signalled junction across 20 navigation steps.
This is an independent 44.5 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 Widney Island and Monkspath Hall 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, 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, churches, 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 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 107-step drive on real, named roads (about 44.5 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 4th exit onto Union Road.
39 m
Exit the roundabout onto Union Road.
Union Road623 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A34/Stratford Road.
45 m
Exit the roundabout onto A34/Stratford Road.
A34547 m
Turn right onto Solihull Road.
Solihull Road1.2 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Danford Lane.
46 m
Exit the roundabout onto Danford Lane.
Danford Lane987 m
Turn left onto Alderbrook Road.
Alderbrook Road1.3 km
Turn right onto Blossomfield Road/B4102.
Blossomfield Road900 m
Turn right onto Danford Lane.
Danford Lane507 m
Turn left to stay on Danford Lane.
Danford Lane64 m
Turn right to stay on Danford Lane.
Danford Lane462 m
Turn left onto Blossomfield Road/B4102.
Blossomfield Road1.5 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Lode Lane/B4102.
67 m
Exit the roundabout onto Lode Lane/B4102.
Lode Lane282 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Lode Lane/B425.
30 m
Exit the roundabout onto Lode Lane/B425.
Lode Lane1.6 km
Turn right to stay on Lode Lane.
Lode Lane15 m
Turn left to stay on Lode Lane.
Lode Lane126 m
Turn right onto Bramcote Drive.
Bramcote Drive63 m
Turn right onto Barnmoor Rise.
Barnmoor Rise20 m
Turn left.
55 m
Turn left onto Bramcote Drive.
Bramcote Drive135 m
Turn left onto Lode Lane.
Lode Lane126 m
Turn right to stay on Lode Lane.
Lode Lane15 m
Turn left onto Lode Lane/B425.
Lode Lane903 m
Turn right onto A41/Seven Star Road.
A411.0 km
Turn left onto Warwick Road/B425.
Warwick Road747 m
Turn left 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 right onto Warwick Road/B425.
Warwick Road748 m
Turn right onto A41/Seven Star Road.
A41972 m
Turn left onto Lode Lane/B425.
Lode Lane898 m
Turn right to stay on Lode Lane.
Lode Lane15 m
Turn left to stay on Lode Lane.
Lode Lane126 m
Turn right onto Bramcote Drive.
Bramcote Drive63 m
Turn right onto Barnmoor Rise.
Barnmoor Rise20 m
Turn left.
55 m
Turn left onto Bramcote Drive.
Bramcote Drive135 m
Turn left onto Lode Lane.
Lode Lane126 m
Turn right to stay on Lode Lane.
Lode Lane15 m
Turn left onto Lode Lane/B425.
Lode Lane1.6 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Lode Lane/B4102.
21 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 Road1.1 km
Turn right onto Widney Lane.
Widney Lane965 m
Enter Widney Island and take the 2nd exit onto Widney Lane.
Widney Island32 m
Exit the roundabout onto Widney Lane.
Widney Lane1.5 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Widney Lane.
12 m
Exit the roundabout onto Widney Lane.
Widney Lane547 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Union Road.
9 m
Exit the roundabout onto Union Road.
Union Road623 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A34/Stratford Road.
45 m
Exit the roundabout onto A34/Stratford Road.
A342.1 km
Enter Robin Hood Island and take the 3rd exit onto A34/Stratford Road.
Robin Hood Island92 m
Exit the roundabout onto A34/Stratford Road.
A34848 m
Turn right onto Fox Hollies Road/A4040.
Fox Hollies Road620 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Fox Hollies Road/A4040.
38 m
Exit the roundabout onto Fox Hollies Road/A4040.
Fox Hollies Road1.1 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Fox Hollies Road/A4040.
52 m
Exit the roundabout onto Fox Hollies Road/A4040.
Fox Hollies Road258 m
Turn right onto Westley Road/B4146.
Westley Road67 m
Turn left onto Broad Road.
Broad Road407 m
Turn right onto A41/Warwick Road.
A41334 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Shirley Road.
50 m
Exit the roundabout onto Shirley Road.
Shirley Road446 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 4th exit onto Shirley Road.
106 m
Exit the roundabout onto Shirley Road.
Shirley Road1.3 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Shirley Road.
56 m
Exit the roundabout onto Shirley Road.
Shirley Road90 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Shirley Road.
33 m
Exit the roundabout onto Shirley Road.
Shirley Road975 m
Enter Robin Hood Island and take the 2nd exit onto A34/Stratford Road.
Robin Hood Island77 m
Exit the roundabout onto A34/Stratford Road.
A342.1 km
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 Road1.8 km
Enter Widney Island and take the 1st exit onto Widney Lane.
Widney Island7 m
Exit the roundabout onto Widney Lane.
Widney Lane1.5 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Widney Lane.
12 m
Exit the roundabout onto Widney Lane.
Widney Lane547 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 8 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.
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 10.8 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 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.
Plume of Feathers
Start near Plume of Feathers.
Strawberry Fields
Continue to Strawberry Fields.
Sharmans Cross
Continue to Sharmans Cross.
Solihull Methodist Church
Continue to Solihull Methodist Church.
Solihull Gospel Hall
Continue to Solihull Gospel Hall.
Triple Crown Centre
Continue to Triple Crown Centre.
Butterfly Room
Continue to Butterfly Room.
Widney Island
Continue to Widney Island, taking the junction with good observation.
Ale Hub Micropub
Continue to Ale Hub Micropub.
Rosslyn School
Continue to Rosslyn School.
Shirley Baptist Church
Continue to Shirley Baptist Church.
Church of the Ascension
Continue to Church of the Ascension.
Russell Nursery School
Continue to Russell Nursery School.
Acocks Green Methodist Church
Continue to Acocks Green Methodist Church.
St Mary the Virgin
Continue to St Mary the Virgin.
Robin Hood
Continue to Robin Hood.
Honeypot House
Continue to Honeypot House.
Shirley Methodist Church
Continue to Shirley Methodist Church.
Monkspath Hall Road
Continue to Monkspath Hall Road, taking the junction with good observation.
Field House
Finish back near Field House, completing the loop.
7 roundabouts · 8 turns · 2 sets 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 44.5 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.