I learnt a lesson about VMC on top many years ago.
My instructor had warned me during training to be very careful, particularly when descending through a 'hole' in the clouds as they have a habit of closing in around as you descend.
Unperturbed a few years later I enjoyed a glorious flight VMC on top in sight of the surface (plenty of big 'holes') in an open-cockpit home-built at around 6,000 ft.
Over Kendal I saw a large hole and started my descent to an expected cloud base of around 2,000 ft.
On the way down Warton Radar asked if all was okay as I appeared to have stopped moving on their radar.
Truth was the 3,000 ft or so descent through cloud was in ever decreasing circles as I ended up in a tight spiral dive trying to maintain sight of the surface. I finally popped out into the murk at less than 2,000 ft and Kendal seemed closer than I expected.
The words of my instructor filled my head and I realised once again that I had learnt about flying the hard way - nothing illegal (complied with Rule 5), but nevertheless I was stirred if not shaken! It could have been much worse had the cloud base been lower, had I gone IMC in a steep spiral dive with no attitude instruments only an ASI and Altimeter (less than some gliders).
The expected rarely kills - it's the unexpected that can create a potentially lethal situation in absolutely no time at all.
KR
FOK