diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index fe36ba9f..bc201bb4 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -90,7 +90,6 @@ jobs:
         shell: bash
         # virtual environment is automatically activated
         run: |
-          cd ..
           uv run python -c "import pyogrio; print(f'GDAL version: {pyogrio.__gdal_version__}\nGEOS version: {pyogrio.__gdal_geos_version__}')"
           uv run python -m pytest --pyargs pyogrio.tests -v
 
@@ -131,8 +130,8 @@ jobs:
           tags: manylinux-vcpkg-gdal:latest
           push: false
           load: true
-          cache-from: type=gha
-          cache-to: type=gha,mode=max
+          cache-from: type=gha,scope=${{ matrix.container }}
+          cache-to: type=gha,mode=max,scope=${{ matrix.container }}
         env:
           BUILDKIT_PROGRESS: plain
 
@@ -194,22 +193,19 @@ jobs:
           brew reinstall automake
           echo $(which aclocal)
 
-      - name: Checkout specific version of vcpkg
-        shell: bash
-        run: |
-          cd $VCPKG_INSTALLATION_ROOT
-          # on mac the clone is not clean, otherwise git pull fails
-          git reset --hard
-          # pull specific commit with desired GDAL version
-          git pull
-          git checkout 0857a4b08c14030bbe41e80accb2b1fddb047a74
+      - name: Install vcpkg and checkout specific version
+        uses: lukka/run-vcpkg@v11
+        with:
+          vcpkgDirectory: "${{ github.workspace }}/vcpkg"
+          vcpkgGitCommitId: 0857a4b08c14030bbe41e80accb2b1fddb047a74
 
       - name: Install GDAL
         env:
           VCPKG_DEFAULT_TRIPLET: ${{ matrix.triplet }}
+          VCPKG_INSTALLATION_ROOT: ${{ github.workspace }}/vcpkg
         shell: bash
         run: |
-          vcpkg install --overlay-triplets=./ci/custom-triplets --feature-flags="versions,manifests" --x-manifest-root=./ci --x-install-root=$VCPKG_INSTALLATION_ROOT/installed
+          vcpkg install --overlay-triplets=./ci/custom-triplets --feature-flags="versions,manifests" --x-manifest-root=./ci --x-install-root=$VCPKG_INSTALLATION_ROOT/installed --debug
           vcpkg list
 
       - name: Upload vcpkg build logs
@@ -224,6 +220,7 @@ jobs:
         env:
           # CIBW needs to know triplet for the correct install path
           VCPKG_DEFAULT_TRIPLET: ${{ matrix.triplet }}
+          VCPKG_INSTALLATION_ROOT: ${{ github.workspace }}/vcpkg
           CIBW_ARCHS: ${{ matrix.arch }}
 
       - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
@@ -265,6 +262,9 @@ jobs:
     steps:
       - name: Checkout
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          sparse-checkout: ci/requirements-wheel-test.txt
+          sparse-checkout-cone-mode: false
 
       - name: Set up Python
         uses: actions/setup-python@v5
@@ -282,8 +282,6 @@ jobs:
         if: ${{ runner.os != 'Windows' }}
         run: |
           uv venv .venv
-          echo "VIRTUAL_ENV=.venv" >> $GITHUB_ENV
-          echo "$PWD/.venv/bin" >> $GITHUB_PATH
 
       - name: Create virtual environment (Windows)
         if: ${{ runner.os == 'Windows' }}
@@ -316,7 +314,6 @@ jobs:
         shell: bash
         # virtual environment is automatically activated
         run: |
-          cd ..
           uv run python -c "import pyogrio; print(f'GDAL version: {pyogrio.__gdal_version__}\nGEOS version: {pyogrio.__gdal_geos_version__}')"
           uv run python -m pytest --pyargs pyogrio.tests -v
 
diff --git a/ci/custom-triplets/arm64-osx-dynamic-release.cmake b/ci/custom-triplets/arm64-osx-dynamic-release.cmake
index def957a4..35d3a2e3 100644
--- a/ci/custom-triplets/arm64-osx-dynamic-release.cmake
+++ b/ci/custom-triplets/arm64-osx-dynamic-release.cmake
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ set(VCPKG_BUILD_TYPE release)
 set(VCPKG_OSX_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET "12.0")
 
 set(VCPKG_LIBRARY_LINKAGE static)
+
 if(PORT MATCHES "gdal")
     set(VCPKG_LIBRARY_LINKAGE dynamic)
 endif()
diff --git a/ci/requirements-wheel-test.txt b/ci/requirements-wheel-test.txt
index 35704e3a..b9000e60 100644
--- a/ci/requirements-wheel-test.txt
+++ b/ci/requirements-wheel-test.txt
@@ -1,9 +1,8 @@
-# pytest 8.0 gives permission error (https://github.com/pytest-dev/pytest/issues/11904)
-pytest<8
+pytest
 # dependencies of geopandas (installed separately with --no-deps to avoid fiona)
 pandas
-pyproj ; (python_version < '3.12') or (python_full_version >= '3.12.1')
-shapely>=2 ; (python_version < '3.12') or (python_full_version >= '3.12.1')
+pyproj
+shapely>=2
 packaging
 # optional test dependencies
-pyarrow ; (python_version < '3.12') or (python_full_version >= '3.12.1')
+pyarrow
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index c448ac80..3490a0e4 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ MACOSX_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET = "12.0"
 
 [tool.cibuildwheel.windows]
 before-build = "pip install delvewheel"
-repair-wheel-command = "delvewheel repair --add-path C:/vcpkg/installed/x64-windows-dynamic-release/bin -w {dest_dir} {wheel}"
+repair-wheel-command = "delvewheel repair --add-path $VCPKG_INSTALLATION_ROOT/installed/x64-windows-dynamic-release/bin -w {dest_dir} {wheel}"
 
 [tool.cibuildwheel.windows.environment]
 VCPKG_INSTALL = "$VCPKG_INSTALLATION_ROOT/installed/x64-windows-dynamic-release"