Thank you for your replies. I think though, that people have misunderstood the point of my post.
Firstly, regarding the clearance I recieved, it was "Cleared to enter not above 2000' " That to me is a definete instruction, not an invitation to descend
when I felt like it. I could not safely have carried out that instruction.
Regarding the high ground, the peak was around 2100' but the lower ground (the lowest around) was about 1900') Doglegging wasn't an option.
As I stated, I fully appreciate that it is the PICs responsibility for terrain clearance. No aurgument there. If I had hit high ground, regardless of the weather it would have been my own stupidity.
However, suppose the visability had been poor (but still VFR) the pilot was under pressure for what ever reason, with situational awarenes reduced from optimum. On recieving that clearance I decide to descend to be below 2000' by 5 miles before the zone boundry, to be sure. I would then have been in a potential CFIT situation.
My own expereince, qualifications or what sort of flight I was doing isn't particually relevent to the discusion. I didn't have a problem because I could see the problem and did something about it. Accidents are a chain and something like that is a pretty big one.
Having said that, I fully agree that ATC is first class and do a fantastic job. Im simply asking people to recognise that a situtaion like this has a potential safety implication.