It should be possible to have floor space in the Event Centre on the Friday night, £4 paid in advance if possible or on the Friday night/Saturday morning.  If you want to sleep at the event centre, let us know on your entry form (by email to rrrentries if you change your mind and want to stay).  I understand the Event Centre will be available from 9 pm and that the DVC management want a list of those staying.  Until the Event Centre opens, the nearest warm places to wait are in local pubs.  You may want to park at (or at least recce) the Event Centre first. Go back down the college access road to the first small roundabout (or walk through college grounds to right of access road when you are approaching sports centre).  Then....   
The Staithes: straight on to the larger Manvers roundabout and take the first left towards Wath. The Staithes is on your right after around 100 m.

Please aim to get to the Event Centre between 9 pm and 9:30 pm - we've got an early start on Saturday.  You will have to wake people after 10:30!

Prices of other establishments may be from previous years.

One of the nearest hotels to the event centre is the new Park Inn Hotel on Manvers, claimed to be the best hotel locally (information from Dearne Valley College). The run runs close to the hotel. They are charging £40 single or £50 double bed & breakfast for the race weekend for those doing the event (2010 prices).   For on-line booking, select 'More search options' and enter RUN as the promotional code.  For the rate type, select Senior Citizen (if appropriate ) or the 'Lowest available rate' .  Both came out at £36/£45.  Alternative link: ParkInn

Nearby is the Barnsley Travel Inn, Meadow Gate, Dearne Valley, Wombwell, 0870 197 7024, a 1500 m walk to the event centre, see map, at the Wath roundabout (W on sketch map).  It is close to the Rotherham to Barnsley bus route.  £45.95 for a double room with no breakfast. Breakfast available at Brewster adjoining Travel Inn at any time. Now 3 mile from start - but straight along road towards Mexborough to Manvers roundabout.  Directions.  On the roundabout at the junction of the A633 (Barnsley to Mexborough road) and the A6195 (M1 junction 36 to Doncaster Road).

Sandygate Hotel, Sandygate, Wath upon Dearne, Rotherham 01709 877827 - a favourite amongst RRRers
Diane Monroe    39.50 GBP Single 49.50 GBP  Double - with early breakfast before the race. Approx 1 mile from start - probably the closest accommodation to the Event Centre (2006 price).  From hotel, go east to Deaneway and downhill to roundabout.  Turn right (Doncaster Rd) past the Staithes to Manvers roundabout.  Right (towards Swinton) to next roundabout,  straight ahead into college grounds.

Towards Mexborough is the 2-star Best Western Pastures Hotel
Pastures Road, Mexborough, South Yorkshire S64 0JJ Tel: 0845 3130115, about 3 miles from event centre.  £45 per room on the web (2010). Alternative link: Best Western

Local councils have web sites with some information about accommodation - contact the Tourist Information Centres through these sites for more information
Barnsley: they provide an extensive list. Those near the Event Centre include: (Hotels) Forte Travelodge, Keel Inn, Churchills, Drop (Guest Ho's) April Cot., Clifton Ho, Old Coach Ho (Inn/PH's) Hoyle Mill.  

Rockingham Arms, 8 Main Street, Wentworth, Rotherham 01226 742075
Connor McPeak £25 Single £30 double no breakfast. 3 miles from start.

Doncaster: I eventually found a list - follow 'Visit Doncaster' links to 'where to stay' (or T for tourist). You should also be able to contact the TIC to help check which hotels in their extensive database are near Manvers! 

Rotherham: List gives some hotels and guest houses, none close to Event Centre. The conveniently located Phoenix Hotel (opposite Rotherham Railway Station) has now closed. 
The Travel Inn 'motel' (Brecks) 48 GBP per room (2006), Regis Hotel,  Fernlea Hotel 22/32 GBP pn,  and Netherleigh Guest House (Moorgate area, S. of central Rotherham around SK 433923)
The Yellow Pages also lists (under Guest Houses) the Kenbet Transport House, Station Road (probably not averse to early risers!) and Corona Hotel, 163 College Road (both near the old station, west of bypass), The Kingfisher and The Mount.  (Kenbet House had no vacancies in 2004)
Also: Welcome Break (Motel) at Woodall Service Station on M1 (N of Junction 31).
Contact 0800 731 4466 or 0114 248 6434

TRANSPORT to event:

General: You can look up public transport using the Yorkshire Traveline.
Select Plan Your Journey (advanced option rather than quick version), enter your start location, e.g. London Kings Cross, and destination Dearne Valley College.  Confirm locations.  If you are planning to sleep at the Event Centre, select either a departure time or arrival time (preferably arriving 21:00 to 21:30 - very latest 22:30 on Friday).
From Doncaster, take bus 220, or train to Swinton or Mexborough and then bus 200.
From Rotherham, take bus 22, 218 or 220 to Manvers (or 221, change to 200 at Swinton) , or train to Swinton or Mexborough and then bus 200.
From Sheffield, take train to Swinton or Mexborough and then bus 200.
224 Doncaster - Mexborough takes a very circuitous route - if suggested look for alternatives - 43 min to Manvers from Doncaster

If you stay in Rotherham centre,and inform me henry@NOThmarston.co.uk (without the NOT) a few days in advance, a lift should be available at 04:50 from Rotherham; let me know where you are staying and wa can arrange a meeting point.    Or book a taxi, e.g. 01709 555555.

By train on the day: rechecked for 2010
There is a train from Sheffield at 5:29 to Swinton, arr 5:49 (2010 timetable) in good time for the 7:00 start.  This does not now connect with the Trans-Pennine Express.
Trains leave Doncaster at 06:00, 06:25 and 07:02 for Swinton  

From Swinton Interchange, catch the 200 bus (to Wath), but first bus is at 6:40.  For arrivals on Friday night, there are buses on this route (Mexborough - Swinton - Manvers - Wath) every half hour to 22:20.  Walkers can walk along last part of RRR route, 1.5 km to event centre.  Swinton is preferable, bus stop outside the railway station, but if your train only stops at Mexborough the bus station is over the main road (on right from station access road) outside the railway station.

Swinton (Yorks) and Mexborough have neither a taxi rank nor a cab office. Advance taxi booking is essential. Consider using the following local taxi operators:

Swinton: Swinton 01709 588885 Gemini 01709 581944

Mexborough: Gemini 01709 581944 Service Travel 01709 584600 Ivanhoe Cabs 01709 589999

By bus:  Buses other than the 22, 200 and 220 probably stop too early on Friday. 

For the day or for sleepers:

Bus and train times are as listed on 10 Sept 2010; see SYPTE journey planner (same as Yorkshire Traveline). This only lets you check times for about a month, so you are advised to check times close to the day

If links to timetables don't work, try timetable selection page and enter timetable number  (or from main page, 'browse' timetables (links top left of page))  Updated for 2011

200 Mexborough - Swinton - Manvers - Wath - Wombwell   Buses from Swinton to Dearne Valley College.   Buses leave Mexborough at 06:30, Swinton 06:35 at DVC 6:42  (Wath 06:45, DVC at 06:51) Then at 20 minute intervals (approx).   Evenings: departures at 20 and 50 min past the hour from Mexborough and (at 05 and 35) from Wath (for sleepers).  11 and 41 min past from DVC for getting back to Swinton/Mexborough.
From the DVC bus stop on Golden Smithies Lane, you should be able to cut through the college grounds to the building behind the admin buildings (on your left when facing up the hill).  Alternatively go down to the college roundabout and follow road through grounds to the Sports Centre at the end.

220 Rotherham-Doncaster
05:18, 06:23 (05:48, 06:52 at Manvers)- 7 min walk  - tight (evening buses for sleepers: 20:50, 21:20, 21:50 arrive Manvers 21:15, 21:45, 22:15.  The 22:50 arriving 23:15 is too late!) 
220 Doncaster 05:55 at Manvers 06:47 - 7 min walk  (evening buses for sleepers leave Doncaster at 20:35, 21:05 and 21:35 arriving at DVC 42 min later, or via Mexborough at 21:11, 21:41, 22:11) - it's quicker if you can get a train to Mexborough and pick up the bus there (or Swinton and get the 200).
Alight just before Manvers roundabout (coming from Doncaster), Sharp left at roundabout towards Swinton, and at next roundabout (after 200 m) go straight ahead along road through college grounds to sports centre at end.

226 Barnsley- Thurnscoe From Barnsley 06:10,  arr Manvers 06:49- 10 min walk - late even for runners (7 am start)  Alternative: 222 at 05:04 to Wath, 220 to Manvers, arr 5:48

224 Doncaster - Mexborough takes a circuitous route - if suggested consider alternatives - 43 min to Manvers from Doncaster and then a long walk to the Event Centre

22 New First Service Rotherham - Manvers - Barnsley and select Service 22 (may be on second page, and ensure you get Barnsley - Rotherham route) 6:08 (6:26 at Manvers)

A train from Sheffield to Mexborough departs 05:29, use 220 bus (arr 06:15 )  Or from Doncaster at 6:00. Catch 200 buses from Mexborough at 06:30, Swinton 06:35

Contact me (Henry Marston) for more suggestions - we have some additional lists. Also, some are known to have parked up with a camper van at or near the event centre.