Middlewich, UK

The train to Crewe from London is only 8 pounds and takes over two hours. Nice train with a wheelchair accessible WC. The first I have seen. A lorry driver runs on the train at the last minute and we chat for a good part of the trip. He's just delivered a motor home to somewhere down near Croatia and is deadheading home.
Geoff meets us at the station and we drop our stuff off at the Boars Head Inn before heading over to Doris and Joyce. Doris plies us with tea, wine and homemade sausage rolls. Dave soon arrives followed by Roger's cousin Bobby from Jersey whom he met for the first time. Geoff heads home, Sue joins us and we carpool up to the Three Greyhounds for a pub dinner. Grandma has the fish and chips, I had the ploughman’s plate, and Roger tries he salmon. I don't hear any complaints. The pub is closing up so we head to Sue's for a bit and then home for the night.
The Inn's pub is still open and somewhat noisy, but I have earplugs and I sleep well.
Our breakfast in the am is included and we have the full breakfast. Turns out that is bacon, ham, blood pudding, beans, toast, egg, and mushrooms.... I can't eat it all so will order somewhat less tomorrow. A fellow from Australia is down for breakfast and we chat with him. Peter is retired and on the road. No real plans until November, till then he can go where he wants. We learn of the time he and his daughter were robbed in Spain. They were driving on the free way and traffic was rather sparse. There was a loud bang and they thought they had blown a tire, but the car held steady and so they kept going. Shortly a vehicle pulled up and the driver was indicating there was something wrong with their tire. They didn't stop, and then the other vehicle pulled ahead and forced them to pull over. The guy got out and came over to their car and forced off the hubcap and spoke excitedly. Peter and his daughter got out of the car and he grabbed his keys as he got out. The stranger dropped the hubcap and ran back to his vehicle and drove off. Peter and his daughter got in the car and drove off. It was not until they stopped for gas they realized their bags were gone. They had been cleaned out. They figured the stranger had a partner who stole their stuff while he distracted them.
People finally got organized and we ended up heading for a walk ending up at The Anderton lift. It is a 50-foot vertical link between the Weaver River and the canal. We watched for a bit, but you can't see too much. When we left we ran into some friends of Sue and Dave. They have a narrow boat and we spend the afternoon sitting on the canal banks chatting before heading home for Chinese food.
Next morning Dave picks us up from the inn. Their friends have booked a time in the lift and invited us for a ride in their narrow boat. John and Sandra own the Scottsford and Geoff and Rose own the Carpe Diem. We divide up and settle in the boat awaiting our turn.
So our narrow boat moves into position through the first gate and Geoff comes along side us. The gate closes behind us and opens in front. We move through into the caisson. There is a set of two gates there set about a foot apart. They close. Then the water between them is pumped out and as soon as that happens the caisson, water, boats and all descends while its twin rises beside it. The whole process reverses at the bottom. So we have dropped from the Trent on Mersey canal to the Weaver River. We have enough time to coast down the river and through the first lock before we have to start back to make our time for coming back up the lift. I piloted the boat from the lift to the lock and Roger got a turn on the way back.
We moored the narrow boats and made our way to the Stanley Arms for the obligatory pub visit with chips, sandwiches and rounds of beverages. The next round arriving before the first round is done. Back to Sue and Dave's and we try out the air rifle, a little golf, dog mayhem on the trampoline, say hi to the horses, more food and a shot at the Wii for golf, baseball, Frisbee and dog fighting.
Everyone and their mother have a dog along the canal. People are very friendly and lots of fun.
Day three starts a little earlier so we get over to Doris's to say goodbye to Bobby and to wish Joyce Happy Birthday. We give her a book from Dover Castle as well as some postcards and a fridge magnet. She says the set up in the room at the castle as indicated in photos is not quite the same as when she was there. Bobby is back to Jersey and we head out for a walk up the canal. The one right here is Trent on Mersey and we start up it, but it follows the road, so we back track to Wardle Bridge and head up the smaller canal. Here we are able to see the smaller self operated locks and assist one boat going through. We wander up threw some lovely gardens and out into some pasture area before turning back.
By now Denise is off work and heading over and Dave suggests we go over to Knutford to wander a bit. We will visit for a bit, head there and finish with dinner at the some thing and something. A little more upscale traditional English pub according to David. Everyone shows up for dinner Denise, Jeff, David and Susan, Louie, Luke, Olivia, Louise, and Joseph, Doris, Joyce, Roger and I.