Sounds like you made a good call. It is a shame because Paul at Oban is one of the nicest people in GA, and a visit there is always very pleasant. I'll be going up in a month or two, and am already looking forward to it.
On the subject of wx, it is worth noting that even an IMC-rated pilot should have been looking to climb well above terrain, rather than entering cloud at a level lower than the surrounding hills and trusting in the GPS. A quick look at the maps suggests that an IFR flyer should be at at least 4500 feet, if not somewhat higher.