It is very interesting to note that many seem to link use of the pitot heat in imc or even flight in IMC at all with the 0C level. The pitot heat must be on when operating in any visible moisture even when VMC and it is possible for ice to form on the aircraft in VMC and in IMC when the OAT shows a tempeature above 0C.
AOPA has an online course for the Single Pilot IFR and NASA has another for Flight in Icing conditions. Both are well worth the time and are free.
As for the question about flying over Wales - If I planned a VFR flight over wales I would not plan VFR unless I could expect to be 2500ft vertically clear of cloud at cruise level during the proposed flight and any possible diversion. If I can't get that then I will plan IFR and hope that I can remain VMC to enjoy the view but it will not matter much if I can't.
One big difference bewteen the VFR flight and the IFR one would be the fact that the VFR could be based on simple DR perhaps out of coverage of navigation aids while the IFR one would require some pre-planned use of appropriate Navigation aids.
Again if anyone thinks that needing such a high cloudbase for VFR flight would mean that many VFR flights would not take place they are correct. The answer is not to lower the operating minima to suit the climate (or the cost of obtaining an IR) the answer is to stick to safe operating minima and if that means not flying then either put up with it or move to a better climate.
If I go unplanned IMC on a VFR flight, it will be Climb, 7700, Mayday call and request diversion. It will hopefully end up with my making a report of how stupid I was to get there in the first place. I will not have learned about flying from the experience I will have learned about not flying.
However, reading IO540 and Fuji Abound's comments I think that they are talking about VFR flights operated in accordance with IFR i.e. they have made all the decisions pre-flight that enables safe IFR flight by as they say "current competent Instrument pilots".
One wonders how much the GPS has changed pilot's attitudes to going IMC on a whim. When one relied on VOR and NDB as the sole means of navigating in IMC one made darn sure that one was aware of one's position at all times even if it was hard work. Of course, GPS does bolster one's confidence in being able to avoid not only terrain but also airspace but last time I checked few VFR flyers have BRNAV approved GNSS units. Even those IR pilots who did have BRNAV were not aware of the requirement to plan to stay 5nm laterally away from controlled airspace when using BRNAV as sole means of navigation in Class G.
More importantly, when flying on a VFR flight and going from VMC to IMC and back to VMC 100 times during the flight does the pilot fly at the appropriate IFR level when IMC and if in receipt of an ATS service do they notify the changes so that other flights can be warned?........or would it not be simpler to say that the flight is IFR but intermittantly VMC!
Regards,
DFC