Rising in the foothills of Dunside Rig, the Back Burn flows north-east for two and a half miles to empty into the southern end of Kype Reservoir. The Back Burn is met on the journey to Kype Reservoir by the Long Knowe Burn.

Located at OS grid NS 736 386 (55:37.470N 4:0.535W), the 30 acre Kype Reservoir was constructed in 1898 for Hamilton Town Council. The Reservoir was created by building an earth embankment dam and flooding the valley. At approximately 890 feet above sea level the Kype Reservoir, is four miles south-east of Strathaven and three miles from Sandford in South Lanarkshire. It is the source of the Kype Water. The Reservoir is surrounded by mature conifer woodland on two sides.

The Kype Water flows north, then north-east, from Kype Reservoir, before joining the Avon Water a mile south-east of Strathaven, having completed a course of roughly six miles.

The Avon Water flows into the River Clyde.