List of rivers of Scotland


This list of rivers in Scotland is organised geographically, taken anti-clockwise, from Berwick-upon-Tweed. Tributaries are listed down the page in an upstream direction. indicates a left-bank tributary and indicates a right-bank tributary whilst and indicate left and right forks where a named river is formed from two differently named rivers.
For simplicity, they are divided here by the coastal section in which the mouth of the river can be found. Those on Scottish islands can be found in a section at the end. For Scottish estuaries, please see under firths and sea lochs.
The Scots have many words for watercourses.
  • A "Water" is a smaller river, e.g. Ugie Water, Water of Leith etc. Many Scottish rivers incorporate the name "Water" traditionally.
  • A "burn", Scots Gaelic: "allt", used for smaller rivers and larger streams, also once widely used in England, now mostly in placenames especially the north, and sometimes spelled "bourne", e.g. Bournemouth and Ashbourne. In Scotland examples include Coalburn, Bannockburn, Aultmore.
  • Abhainn in Gaelic meaning river, which is anglicised as Avon. There is also a similar Brythonic cognate. This sometimes leads to curious 'double' namings of rivers by Anglo-Saxon speakers, such as River Avon and River Afton.

    South-eastern Scotland

Flowing into the North Sea between Berwick-upon-Tweed and Kincardine
The right-bank tributary of the Tweed, the River Till together with its tributaries, is almost wholly within England but is included for completeness of the Tweed catchment.
Tweed catchment
Simple coastal catchments
Tyne catchment
Firth of Forth
Esk catchment
Water of Leith catchment
  • Water of Leith
  • * The Stank
Almond catchment
Avon catchment
  • River Avon
Carron catchment
Flowing into the North Sea between Kincardine and Buddon Ness
Forth catchment
Simple coastal catchments
Eden catchment
Tay catchment
Simple coastal catchments
Flowing into the North Sea between Buddon Ness and Rattray Head
Simple coastal catchments
River South Esk catchment
  • River South Esk
  • * Noran Water
  • * Prosen Water
  • * Burn of Glenmoye
  • * White Water
River North Esk catchment
Simple coastal catchments
Dee catchment
Don catchment
Simple coastal catchments
  • Blackdog Burn
  • Potterton Burn
  • * Millden Burn ??
  • Eigie Burn ??
  • Blairton Burn ??
  • Menie Burn ??
  • Sandend Burn ??
Ythan catchment
Simple coastal catchments
Flowing into the North Sea between Rattray Head and Inverness
File:River Spey.jpg|thumb|River Spey at Aberlour
File:Tomatin railway viaduct 01.jpg|thumb|The River Findhorn is crossed by the Highland Main Line railway and the A9 road just east of Tomatin
Simple coastal catchments
  • Water of Philorth
  • Pouk Burn
  • The Dour
  • Tore Burn
Deveron catchment
Simple coastal catchments
Spey catchment
Lossie catchment
Findhorn catchment
  • River Findhorn
  • * Burn of Mosset
  • * Muckle Burn
  • * Dorback Burn
  • ** River Divie
  • * Leonach Burn
  • ** Rhilean Burn
  • * Funtack Burn
  • * Glen Mazeran ??
  • * Elrick Burn
  • * River Eskin
Nairn catchment
Ness catchment
Flowing into the North Sea between Inverness and Duncansby Head
Moniack catchment
Beauly catchment
  • River Beauly
  • *Belladrum Burn
  • * Bruiach Burn
  • * Breakachy Burn
  • **River Farrar
  • **River Glass
  • ***River Cannich
  • ***River Affric
  • ***Abhainn Deabhag
Conon catchment
Simple coastal catchments
Carron catchment
  • River Carron
  • * Black Water
  • * Water of Glencalvie
  • ** Alladale River
  • ** Abhainn a' Ghlinne Mhoir
Oykel catchment
Shin catchment
  • River Shin
  • * Grudie Burn
  • * River Tirry
  • * River Fiag
  • * Merkland River
Simple coastal catchments
Brora catchment
Simple coastal catchments
Wick catchment