Summer cruising plans

Our summer hols, or some of them, will be spent aboard Willow which we have procured for a couple of weeks. It was only when I searched the web for the marina where it's moored that I realised that it was actually ON the River Weaver. I had originally thought that it was on the T&M near Anderton, but no, it's an hour or so upstream in Northwich. Now, do we take advantage of this to explore the river further as we haven't yet been upstream of Northwich? Or do we hack down to the boat lift and get the next possible passage? And do we book? (is it still a fiver?) or do we turn up and hope for the best? (is an unbooked passage still free?)

I wonder how the owner is getting on with fitting the cooker.