Caper 2025 Review

After the extremely wet start to last year’s Caper, we were all hoping for better weather this year, and we were not disappointed, although some of us did experience a few rain showers during the course of the day.

The day started with a few helpers arriving at the Tewkesbury Rugby Club before 7.30am and were queuing up outside the gates, and by the time Dan arrived at 7.40am to unlock the gates we had 11 cars in the queue with helpers waiting to get started with setting up.

Once the rugby club was unlocked, we all got stuck in with setting up the venue. Outside, the gazebo, start banner and start signs were put in place, together with others setting up various directional signs. Inside the clubhouse members were busy setting up tables for registration, raffle ticket sales, a water station and the display of raffle prizes. The nine volunteers from Watershed, together with Ben the pony, arrived shortly after 8am and proceeded to set up a pen for Ben and a promotional stand just inside the clubhouse.

Around 8.20am the first of the entrants started to arrive. We had a total of 88 entries for the Caper, however we did have 4 withdrawals and duplicates, and also 6 no-shows on the day. This left a total of 78 cars actually taking part, and the car park was soon filled with a good range of MGs, from a 1949 MG TC up to a 2024 MG Cyberster, plus a few other marques including a Morgan Plus 4, Gilbern Invader and a Triumph TR4 amongst others.

All the entrants were welcomed by members of the GMGOC and the volunteers from Watershed, where they had the opportunity to meet Ben the Watershed pony and talk to the people involved with Watershed RDA. As usual, we were pleased to greet entrants who keep supporting the Caper every year and were also pleased to welcome back our previous members Brian and Teresa from Yarm and Adrian and Rita from Bournemouth.

Before the start, a bottle of wine and a club banner was presented by Rob to Francis Hilton, who in his MGB GT had travelled the furthest of all the entrants, being 214 miles from Newark.

With everybody signed in and having bought raffle tickets, and with a few enjoying the bacon rolls with a cup of tea or coffee, we were all ready to start the first cars away by 10am. The cars were waved off in the usual manner, via the waving of the Union Jack being vigorously waved by Pam and with Kate and pony Ben from Watershed.

The entrants set off on their first 47.2-mile leg of the Caper to the halfway point, winding through the Cotswolds via Apperley, Haw Bridge, Bushley Green and crossing the Mythe Bridge towards Strensham. The route then continued through Defford, Eckington and Elmley Castle to Ashton under Hill and on to Childswickham before passing through picturesque Broadway. After Broadway, the route took them past Snowshill Manor and Snowshill Lavender before arriving at Broadway Tower.

Alison and her sister Karen, together with Lindsay, Adrian and Martin, were the marshals for the halfway stop. They were also graced with the presence of Rob and Myn. Broadway Tower kindly organised the car parking area for us. We had the Tower as a backdrop for the car park, which was a short walk to the café and facilities. We had plenty of space for parking and picnics, and despite the showers almost all the cars made it to the stop, and all had left by around 2.30pm. The Tower was busy with visitors, and the approach road was also the route of a cycling event. However, there were no issues, and all seemed to be enjoying themselves.

After visiting Broadway Tower, the entrants then started the 35.4-mile second leg of the Caper, heading towards Dovers Hill, Chipping Campden and passing through the small villages of Broad Campden and Blockley, venturing on to Cutsdean and Stanton where Andy Carter was laying in wait to photograph all the cars en route. Following the photo opportunity, the route went on to Wormington and Dumbleton before the final home stretch back to Tewkesbury via Beckford, Conderton and Overbury.

With most of the entrants arriving back at Tewkesbury Rugby Club, they were able to check to see if they had won any raffle prizes, partake in refreshments from the bar and also purchase cakes from Wendy’s cake stall.

Upon their return, we received lots of positive comments from the entrants about the route and the organisation of the event, with many hoping to come back for next year’s Caper.

Following the Caper, several helpers travelled to The Royal Oak at Gretton for the traditional After Caper meal and celebratory drink.

We would like to thank Dan and his staff at the Tewkesbury Rugby Club for the use of their facilities and help for the day. A big thank you to all our sponsors, advertisers and helpers on the day for making this another successful Cotswold Caper.

Keith & Martin.