However if the UK PPL gets an IMCR or an IR, this restriction falls away and he can now fly VFR without sight of surface worldwide.
AHA - that makes a lot of sense. Get a night rating and an IMC and you will be able to do the same stuff as PPL holders in the rest of JAA (plus IMC landings)
I agree that Norway is difficult with high and steep(ish) ground and low cloud base, but my territory is more the low lands of Denmark
My understanding is that the UK PPL holder can still fly VFR on top - if he / she "has sight of the ground" - and that could well be a mountain or hill, or hole in the cloud which is 100 miles away
Isn't there some definition of minimum octas somewhere in the Air Law curriculum?
Anyway, sounds like IMC is a very good starting point, not least for the VMC reason IO540 states above, and if you can deal with IMC conditions in one end of the journey I guess you'll half the number of times you can't go because of weather.
Many thanks