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 Saturday.  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.  Till then, 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.  Then....   
Nearest (unsure of name - may be directly accessible behind Sports Centre): left up Golden Smithies Lane and pub is shortly along road.  
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 arrive at the Event Centre by 11pm - we've got an early start on Saturday

Prices of other establishments may be from previous years.

Nearest hotel is the new Park Inn Hotel on Manvers, claimed to be the nearest and 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).   Alternative link: ParkInn

Nearby is the Barnsley Travel Inn, 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.  Alternatively, stay at the Phoenix Hotel in Rotherham.  If you want a lift at 5 am, you will need to contact me Henry Marston in advance as it now represents a (small) diversion from the direct route via St Ann's.

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.  

Barnsley Travel Inn, Meadow Gate, Dearne Valley, Wombwell, 0870 197 7024 
£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 - now probably the second 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.

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 Phoenix Hotel (opposite Rotherham Railway Station, 200 m from bus station) has been used by competitors in the past.  1 College Road, Rotherham S60 1EY Tel: 01709 364611 Fax: 01709 511121   Also: 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: if you stay in Rotherham centre, e.g. Phoenix Hotel, Kenbet Transport House and inform me henry@NOThmarston.co.uk (without the NOT) a few days in advance, a lift should be available at 05:00 from the B&Q car park. B&Q is about 200m from the station, diagonally opposite, across roundabout further out from town centre. It is now off the direct route: I can pass at that time, if you request a lift.  

By train on the day: - not rechecked for 2010
There is a train from Sheffield at 5:29 to Swinton, arr 5:49 (2005 timetable) in good time for the 7:00 start.  This connect with (for example) the Trans-Pennine Express, originating Manchester Airport 3:45 leaving Manchester Piccadilly at 04:04, arr  Sheffield 05:02.  

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 200 probably stop too early on Friday. 

For the day:

Bus and train times are as listed on 10 March 2009; see SYPTE journey planner 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)) 

200 Mexborough - Swinton - Manvers - Wath   Buses from Swinton to Dearne Valley College.   Buses leave both Mexborough and Wath  at 06:35, Swinton 06:40 at DVC 6:47/6:42  Then at 20 minute intervals (approx).   Evenings: departures at 10, 30, 50 from both Mexborough and Wath (for sleepers).  17, 37 and 57 min past from DVC for getting back to Swinton/Mexborough

220 Rotherham 6:53, 7:28 at Manvers - 10 min walk ( too late - see evening buses for sleepers) 
220 Doncaster 6:55 at Manvers 7:44 - 10 min walk  ( too late - see evening buses for sleepers) 

226 Barnsley- Thurnscoe From Barnsley 7:10,  arr Manvers 7:51- 10 min walk - too late

206 from Carcroft (N of Doncaster) 0705 arr Manvers 7:38- operated by Wilfreda Beehive - no suitable evening buses TO Manvers, FROM Manvers at 16:05, 17:05

Trains from Sheffield to Swinton (and Mexborough) depart 05:29 and 06:18 (arr 05:49 and 06:38)  Or from Doncaster at 6:00 and 6:25 

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.