World & travel

Hillsbrad Foothills: Southshore, Tarren Mill and Vanilla World PvP

Section: World & travel 4 min read Vanilla 1.12.1 · x5 Updated 14.10.2026

Hillsbrad Foothills is a contested Eastern Kingdoms zone for levels 20–30. The Alliance holds the town of Southshore, the Horde holds Tarren Mill, and the two bases sit so close together that the zone became a symbol of Vanilla world PvP. On WoW x5 you clear Hillsbrad in an evening, but both factions should pay it a visit.

Hillsbrad Foothills
Hillsbrad FoothillsContested zone 20–30
Contents
  1. Zone at a glance
  2. Key locations
  3. Leveling in Hillsbrad
  4. World PvP: Southshore vs Tarren Mill
  5. Zone resources
  6. Related articles

Zone at a glance

ParameterValue
Levels20–30
TypeContested (Alliance and Horde)
Alliance baseSouthshore
Horde baseTarren Mill
DungeonsNone
NeighboursSilverpine Forest, Alterac Mountains, Arathi Highlands, Hinterlands

The zone lies south of the Alterac Mountains, east of Silverpine Forest and west of the Arathi Highlands. In the northeast the road leads into the Hinterlands. The south is a coastline with a bay and small islands.

Key locations

Southshore

An Alliance fishing town on the bay. Inn, flight master, blacksmith, vendors and most of the Alliance quests in the zone. From here it is easy to move on to the Arathi Highlands and the Alterac Mountains.

Tarren Mill

A Forsaken settlement on the slopes below the Alterac Mountains. For the Horde this is the heart of the zone: inn, flights to Undercity, Royal Apothecary Society chemists and quest chains against the humans of Hillsbrad. From Undercity you travel here through Silverpine Forest.

Hillsbrad Fields

Human farms in the west. Peasants and militia are Horde quest targets, so Alliance players regularly show up to defend the fields.

Durnholde Keep

Ruins in the east occupied by the Syndicate. In the lore, Durnholde is where young Thrall was held as Aedelas Blackmoore's gladiator. Both factions get quests to clear out the Syndicate here.

Coast and islands

The southern and eastern shoreline is home to naga and murlocs, which Southshore quests send you to hunt. The islands in the bay host a few quests and quiet farming spots.

Leveling in Hillsbrad

Hillsbrad links well with neighbouring zones, so you do not waste time running around:

  1. 20–24: first base quests, beasts and militia nearby.
  2. 24–27: the Syndicate at Durnholde, the coast, chains against the humans (Horde) or defending the farms (Alliance).
  3. 27–30: finish long chains and move on to the Alterac Mountains, Arathi Highlands or Thousand Needles.

For a detailed route see Hillsbrad Foothills leveling, the general plan in leveling 20–30 and the list of leveling zones.

Совет

At x5 quest experience grows so fast that some green Hillsbrad quests stop being worth it. Take the chains with good item rewards, skip the rest and move to a zone that matches your level.

World PvP: Southshore vs Tarren Mill

From Southshore to Tarren Mill is a couple of minutes along the road. On PvP realms that means non-stop skirmishes: Horde players come for quest targets in Hillsbrad Fields, the Alliance answers with a raid on Tarren Mill, and the fight grows to 20–40 players. Before battlegrounds, this is where many players earned their first honor.

Tips for a contested zone:

  • Turn in quests in small batches and do not carry valuable loot into a fight zone.
  • Set your hearthstone at your own base so you get back faster.
  • Watch the flight master: if it is dead, wait it out or leave for a neighbouring zone.

More on the mechanics in the world PvP guide and the article on the honor system.

Zone resources

  • Herbalism: Kingsblood, Bruiseweed, Briarthorn and Stranglekelp along the coast — a good spot for 70–150.
  • Mining: copper and tin veins on the hillsides.
  • Fishing and cooking: the Southshore coast works for skill up to about 150.

Related articles

A step-by-step route for both factions is in the guide How to get to Tarren Mill.

A step-by-step route for both factions is in the guide How to get to Southshore.

Want to see the legendary Southshore vs Tarren Mill clash for yourself? Register on WoW x5 and connect to the server.

FAQ

What level is Hillsbrad Foothills?

The zone is built for levels 20–30. Alliance players usually reach Southshore around level 20–22, Horde players arrive at Tarren Mill from Silverpine Forest at roughly the same level.

Where are the Alliance and Horde bases?

Alliance: the coastal town of Southshore. Horde: the Forsaken settlement of Tarren Mill at the foot of the Alterac Mountains. Both have an inn and a flight master.

Is there a dungeon in Hillsbrad?

No, there are no 5-player dungeons in the zone. The Alterac Valley battleground entrance is nearby in the Alterac Mountains, and the Hinterlands lie to the northeast.

Why is Hillsbrad famous for PvP?

Southshore and Tarren Mill are a few minutes apart, so on PvP realms the two towns clash constantly. It is one of the best-known world PvP spots of Vanilla.

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