[2] It may involve *celeμïn, of which the Welsh cognate celefyn means "stem, stalk",[2] or else the zero-grade of the Indo European root of that element *kl̥h1-, "rise up".

It then continues its westward flow being joined by the often depleted (due to water being diverted to the canal) Shawend Burn to the west of Craigmarloch bridge.

It then flows past Torrance, meanders through Balmore Haughs, to the south of Bardowie where it joins the Allander Water, after which it takes a south-westerly direction towards Maryhill, Hillhead, through Kelvingrove Park and under the Clydeside Expressway before falling into the River Clyde at Yorkhill Basin in the city of Glasgow.

[3] Wildlife along Strathkelvin include the grey squirrel, magpie, grey heron, dipper, cormorant, blue tit, great tit, chaffinch, common snipe, great spotted woodpecker, blackbird, redwing, carrion crow, kingfisher, mallard, goosander, roe deer, red fox, otter, water vole, American mink and brown rat.

The two water courses run largely parallel from the source of the Kelvin in the countryside north of Glasgow (almost meeting at several points such as Auchinstarry near Kilsyth, at Kirkintilloch and between Cadder and Torrance) but follow different paths through the northern and western parts of the city.