The Beauty of Azeroth & Outland

I've played World of Warcraft since 2006 and what always brings me back is the world itself. In this series of videos I showcase the the beauty, diversity and scale of the worlds of Azeroth and Outland by cataloguing every major region of each continent.

Kalimdor

Eastern Kingdoms

Northrend

Pandaria

Outland

Observing Bronze Casting at Butser Ancient Farm (5th Feb)

Whilst volunteering and performing general maintenance at the farm as always, the resident bronze caster decided to show us some casting as the "tech shelter" was finally cleaned and had lights installed. I only helped sort the equipment out and prepare the mould. James runs casting courses at Butser, but volunteers got to observe the process for free on Wednesday. I think for volunteers there may be a chance to make something for free, but I won't personally be bronze casting as I have a strict structure and I find following my "don't run before you can walk" method to be effective learning. That is to say I'm just starting in crafts with woodwork, so I don't think I should be metal working yet and trying to make a bronze axe head as it's a very complex and masterful process it seems. It's not that I don't appreciate the opportunity, it's more to do with mentality, level of experience and the learning method I described. Despite that, it was very exciting to observe it.

If any Bushcrafters from Hampshire want to come down to Butser of a Wednesday, I'll be there. It's great fun and a valuable experience, even if volunteering mostly consists of wood stacking, path levelling, stock replenishment and other farm type jobs.

More photos can be seen at the Farm's Facebook page. I'm the one with the most hair.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2050...2043103798964/

Thanks for reading. 

Bronze Age Timber (5th Feb)

One of the perks of volunteering at an Iron Age farm, a gift of Bronze Age (roughly 3,500 years old) oak timber from Testwood Lake, Southampton. Well, it's most probably oak although I think the bridge from which this apparently came was made up of other woods too.

I've been researching here. http://www.wessexarch.co.uk/book/export/html/354

"While carrying out what they call a watching brief, staff from Wessex Archaeology came across fascinating evidence of early society, including part of the earliest bridge ever definitely identified in England, dating to the Middle Bronze Age, c1,500BC."

One man, who is a bronze metalworker at the Farm, apparently got the wood from the excavation and he gave them to a volunteer. This volunteer shared some of it and that's how I acquired them. I can only obviously take their word that it is how old they say it is, but I believe them. I can't be sure if it's oak though, as oak's my second favourite tree, but oh well. Remarkable that wood can survive for so long in the right conditions.