Errr, but...
Just to throw in another spanner....
I just pulled out my Air Law book. In it are two "Weather Minima" charts - one for the UK PPL and one for the JAA PPL.
I have a JAR PPL.
I'm looking at the chart labeled "WEATHER MINIMA - for a JAR PPL holder WITHOUT IMC or Instrument Rating".
Classes F - G:
Below 3000ft AMSL - 140kts or less: 3km vis, clear of cloud, in sight of the surface OR above 140kts 5km, clear of cloud, in sight of the surface.
Above 3000ft AMSL - 5km vis, 1000ft vertically from cloud, 1500m from cloud at the same height. Above FL100 dito but 8km vis.
My point being ABOVE 3000FT THERE IS NO "IN SIGHT OF THE SURFACE" PHRASE. Probably just a mistake in the picture...
But I'd read that as "you can lose sight of the surface above 3000ft and remain in VMC legally".
Not that I would want to, however....
AND - at the bottom of the UK PPL diagram there are big letters that overule the whole page - "MUST STAY IN SIGHT OF THE SURFACE AT ALL TIMES".
(BTW, it's pages 112 & 115 of Jeremy Pratts "Air Law and Ops" for those interested)