tmmorris
I agree - that's why I said one can do it legally with the IMCR.
I should have made it clearer (in the bit you quoted) that I was referring to a bare PPL.
Does Rule 5 apply to takeoffs and landings? I don't think it does; how can it?
As regards flight over rough terrain... it's a risk assessment like any other. Nothing in life is zero risk
I would prefer to avoid flight over rough terrain if IMC extends all the way down to ground, but in all flight (including basic PPL VFR stuff) there are periods of time, perhaps lasting only seconds, where an engine failure would be fatal.