The Water of Ken is a river in Galloway

Galloway

Galloway is an area in southwestern Scotland. It usually refers to the former counties of Wigtownshire and Kirkcudbrightshire...

, south-west Scotland

Scotland

Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...

. It rises on Blacklorg Hill, north-east of Cairnsmore of Carsphairn

Carsphairn

Carsphairn is a village in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. It is located about half way between Dalmellington and St. John's Town of Dalry, next to the A713 road. Carsphairn annual sheep show is held in the village. Cairnsmore of Carsphairn is to the north east of the village in the Carsphairn...

 in the Carsphairn hills

Carsphairn and Scaur Hills

The Carsphairn and Scaur hills are the western and eastern hills respectively of a hill range in the Southern Uplands of Scotland. Ordnance Survey maps don't have a general name for the hill area as a whole. Also, Ordnance Survey use "Scar" rather than the local spelling of "Scaur" - the word is...

, and flows south-westward into the Glenkens valley, passing through Carsfad and Earlstoun lochs, both of which are dammed to supply the Galloway Hydro Electric Scheme. From there, the river flows south, passing St. John's Town of Dalry

St. John's Town of Dalry

St. John's Town of Dalry, usually referred to simply as Dalry, is a village in Dumfries and Galloway, formerly in Kirkcudbrightshire. It is located sixteen miles from Castle Douglas along the A713 road, and is at the southern terminus of the A702 road...

 and New Galloway

New Galloway

New Galloway is a town in Dumfries and Galloway Region, southwest Scotland. It lies on the west side of the valley of the Water of Ken, a mile north of the end of Loch Ken...

, before widening to form the 11-mile long Loch Ken

Loch Ken

Loch Ken is 9-mile long freshwater loch in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. It lies in the Glenkens, where it is fed from the north by the Water of Ken and from the west by the Dee. It continues as the Dee south from Glenlochar, where the water is held back by the Glenlochar Barrage...

. The River Dee

River Dee, Galloway

The River Dee, in south-west Scotland, flows from its source in Loch Dee amongst the Galloway Hills, firstly to Clatteringshaws Loch, then in to Loch Ken, where it joins the Water of Ken. From there, the Dee flows southwards to Kirkcudbright, and into Kirkcudbright Bay to reach the Solway. The...

 also enters halfway down the loch, and from Glenlochar

Glenlochar

Glenlochar is a small hamlet on the western bank of the River Dee in the parish of Balmaghie, Dumfries and Galloway. Glenlochar is located one and a half miles south of Balmaghie Kirk and three miles north of Castle Douglas....

, at the south end of the loch, the river continues as the Dee

River Dee, Galloway

The River Dee, in south-west Scotland, flows from its source in Loch Dee amongst the Galloway Hills, firstly to Clatteringshaws Loch, then in to Loch Ken, where it joins the Water of Ken. From there, the Dee flows southwards to Kirkcudbright, and into Kirkcudbright Bay to reach the Solway. The...

 towards Kirkcudbright

Kirkcudbright

Kirkcudbright, is a town in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland.The town lies south of Castle Douglas and Dalbeattie, in the part of Dumfries and Galloway known as the Stewartry, at the mouth of the River Dee, some six miles from the sea...

and the coast.