Many thanks for all your replies, it has cleared up a lot and makes more sense. I have decided on 1700 ft and will contact Bournemouth. Just need the weather now!
theolderflyer
Glad you got an answer to your original question
no minimum height for VFR flight
foxmouth
I'm afraid there is.
In EASA land it is 500' agl - and, consequently, the UK has now also adopted this.
IFR flight ....... these departures and approaches are carefully surveyed individually for terrain and obstacles
BackPacker
Your quote above is only true of SIDs, STARs and IAPs
Nothing to prevent any flight, from/to any airfield, in any airspace
being flown according to IFR - This is currently true in the UK
(and elsewhere?) and will be true for the whole of Europe from
April 2014 when SERA comes in to force.