Southern Scottish Rivers

Scotland has several major River systems draining the often mountainous landscape. Many of them drain eastwards to the North Sea, while the remainder, drain west into the Irish Sea.

River Annan

One of the most southerly rivers in Scotland, rising in the Scottish Lowlands and flowing out at Annan into the Solway Firth.

River Ayr

Originates at Glenbuck Loch and winds through Ayrshire to reach the Firth of Clyde at Ayr

River Clyde

Rising in the Lowther Hills, the watershed of the Clyde forms the boundary between Lanarkshire and Dumfries-shire to the south of the A74(M) as it crosses Beattock Summit. The river then flows in a generally northerly direction through Clydesdale and into the outer suburban area of Glasgow. After roughly following the A702 and A73 to Lanark, the A72 keeps the river company into Hamilton, after which it is the M74 that follows the river through to the Kingston Bridge in the city centre. The last bridge across the river is the Erskine Bridge, after which the river rapidly widens as it turns southwards into the Firth of Clyde.

River Cree

A river in Dumfries & Galloway

River Dee (Galloway)

This River Dee flows through Galloway to the coast at Kirkcudbright.

River Earn

The River Earn is a tributary of the Tay, flowing from the southern Higlands through Loch Earn and on to the Tay near Perth.

River Esk (Borders)

Rises near Moffat and flows through Dumfries and for a short time Cumberland to enter Solway Firth in England..

River Esk (Lothian)

Rises in the Pentland and Moorfoot Hills as the North Esk and South Esk respectively and flows north to Dalkeith, then out to the coast at Musselburgh to the east of Edinburgh.

Rivers Forth and Teith

The River Forth is the shortest of Scotland's major rivers, but it has a substantial network of tributaries draining a large area of the central belt. The source of the Forth itself is Loch Ard on the B829 west of Aberfoyle. After several miles meandering across its valley floor, the river is joined by the A811 into Stirling, where the last historic bridge is found. The next bridge is the new Clackmannanshire Bridge, built to relieve the Kincardine Bridge. As the river heads into the Firth of Forth near Edinburgh, there is the Forth Road Bridge and Forth Replacement Crossing.

River Kelvin

The River Kelvin is one of the major tributaries to the Clyde, with the two rivers meeting in Glasgow

Water of Leith

The Water of Leith flows from the Pentland Hills out through the Scottish Capital of Edinburgh into the Firth of Forth.

River Nith

Rises in East Ayrshire and flows through Dumfries & Galloway to reach the Solway Firth near Dumfries

River Tay & Tributaries

The greatest river in the whole British Isles is the River Tay, with the largest discharge from one of the largest catchment areas. It rises in the West Highlands as the River Cononish on the slopes of Ben Lui, just 20 or so miles from Oban. Followed by the A85 as it changes name to the Fillan and then the Dochart, the river finally reaches Loch Tay at Killin on the A827. At the eastern end of the loch, the A827 continues alongside until the A9 is reached at Ballinluig. Here the river turns south, through Dunkeld and into Perth. The city centre has two bridges over the river, and then the M90 crosses just to the south. After a few more miles the river opens out into the Firth of Tay, crossed for the final time by the Tay Road Bridge near Dundee.

River Tweed

Rises at Tweedsmuir and flows through the Borders Region. At times the river forms the border between Scotland and England. It joins the sea at Berwick-upon-Tweed

River Tyne (Scottish)

Rises near Tynehead south of Edinburgh and flows to the North Sea near Dunbar.