High up on the north moor at an altitude of 1,798 feet a small spring issues from the peat. This water will drop down 890 ft over a course of about 4.6 miles before flowing into the West Dart river at an altitude of 1108 ft. On its journey it will pick up 3 major tributaries and 4 feeder streams and is called the river Cowsic. The name 'Cowsic' would appear to suggest connections with ailing bovines but in fact the first recorded instance of the name appears in the Duchy of Cornwall records of 1612 when it was written as Cowlsick Coume.

Boddy Collection