I ask this because I don't fast or cart travel and the other day my foolish apprentice Mage stumbled upon a certain frostflow lighthouse. I worked my way in there, until I got to a chaurus Reaper. One bit took away 80 points of my health. I had used Staffs, berserk rage to get that far but I was forced to run. The problem is that my character is now level 13 and I want to go to Markarth and the Strongholds. But I don't know if I'm strong enough yet, should I wait until level 17 odd?
Don't go into Frostflow below 10, the Mystery at Frostflow will wait until I'm level 20, when I have FUS RO DAH!

Never, if you're too scared to meet an overpowered Forsworn. Actually they don't show up much, but when you walk, walk, walk at least a trio will show up and then you're Dekcuf.

I'm traveling reach at level 1.
So it's depend on you. If you're too afraid to battles with forsworn, just unequip all your armour and sprint away.
Good luck

with lvl 13 you can go where you want

You shouldn't have too much trouble so long as you stick to the roads. It's only when you wander off course and stumble across a Forsworn camp that things start to get ugly.

Not in the path of a chaurus reaper. I think I will do companions until I become a werewolf then go tear em up. I will be slightly more powerful.

Orc strongholds shouldn't be hostile.

The Forsworn you get at low levels are far weaker than the ones at high levels so you should be fine for the time being.