It is an approximation that I have made by analyzing information taken from Ida Brooks Kellam's book and using the current DeLorme"s Topographical Atlas Of North Carolina.

From Cross Creek in Cumberland County, area of now Fayetteville, North up the Cape Fear River to the Deep River, thence North West to the point near Ore Hill (now Gulf,N.C.) where they landed.This is approximately seventy five miles of river travel.

Here they left their canoes. The probable trail to their land grants on the South side of Tick Creek is approximately ten miles North, assuming the trail was what is now Old Hwy 421, thence, East on present day Ike Brooks road to the point where Tick Creek crosses Ike Brooks road.

In any event, the trek to their land grants was surely an arduous journey.

I have used an arbitrary date of the trip as occuring in 1751, based on property transfers in Cumberland County and new land grants to John Brooks,Sr. in Orange County.
Records show Thomas Brooks living in Orange County in 1754.
Orange County Court records lists Joab Brooks,Esq. in 1752
This date would show the approximate ages of the party as: John Brooks,Sr. 61,Thomas Brooks 41, Joab Brooks 39, John Brooks,Jr. 36, Mark Brooks 31, James Brooks 26, and Isaac Brooks 24.