The best instrument escape from inadvertent IMC entry at low level on flatish terrain is likely be a wings level steep climb to MSA and sort it out from there, but that's a whole different ball game and unlikely to be survived either by a non IR pilot.
The only problem with this approach is 'where are the cloud tops' (may be above the MSA), but if you can be reasonably sure that it is layer cloud, then a climb is a safer bet than a descent into a hill.
To paraphrase Arthur Ransome in Swallows & Amazons/. "If not duffers, not in cloud. If duffers, duffers better drowned"
Take your pick. Drowning or flying upside down in a helicopter gives the same results.
VFR flying is just that. Clear of cloud. When in doubt. Land. And enjoy a cup of tea from your pre packed flask. Cloud around coastal areas like Cornwall or west of Scotland can be very unpredictable, and hence, best avoided.