I was on the quest to kill the leader of Deepwood Redoubt, and made it to Deepwood Vale by myself after my companion Cosnach got chopped down by the swinging axes inside DeepWood Redoubt while fighting some of the Forsworn. I am level 11/12 currently, and have quite a few mods that help enemy AI and fighting, so my fights are always pretty challenging, even when its one on one...probably because I am just not very good at it, lol, but anyways, its fun...

After trying a few frontal assaults and getting my butt handed to me, I realized that me by my lonesome versus about 20 forsworn, fire atronachs, black hills goblins and shamans was a recipe for death, so I went to the upper areas around the vale, high on the cliffs above the water where they couldn't reach me. There, starting out with about 300 arrows or so, I started firing into the vale. After picking off a few of the forsworn, they realized where I was at and 2 of them came out in the water and started firing arrows at me. Ended up killing them after about 5 or 6 volleys back and forth, then started firing in to the Vale again, attracting more attention. This time, 2 shamans came out and conjured up fire atronachs which fireballed me to within an inch of my death...ended up running and hiding behind some rocks where they couldn't get me as I healed up, then eventually shot them down after another scare.

Went to the near side of the river bank and drew a few of the forsworn out after me, but I went up higher and they couldn't reach me, luckily they were not equipped with arrows, so they had no chance to do any damage...this continued on for the better part of the next hour and a half...me wading out a little bit, drawing 3 or 4 forsworn at a time after me...got in some arrow fights, had to duck some more fireballs from atronachs and shamans, and watched as the bodies were swept downstream and piled up by the rock wall...after about 2 hours I only had a black goblin and 1 forsworn left, which I attacked and killed, then entered the vale and had to fight a few more, but managed to take them out...cleared the fort and headed back to Markarth. It was night when I entered the city and right away I find myself in a battle with the city guards to fight off a vampire attack...wtf!!

Honestly, this had to be one of my favorite things so far in Skyrim...that you could actually strategize to defeat the enemies when victory was seemingly impossible due to vast numbers advantage they had...

How did you get the quest in the first place?

I might have a go at it and see how it is.

You entered the vale?

Sure sounds intense

On my old playthrough, on my assassin, it was fun stealth killing them all. The Briarheart always detected me though.

Its a quest given to you by Jarl Igmund of Markarth

I hate that place, especially when several radiant quests send me there on different occasions, and I have to go through Deepwood Redoubt just to get to the Vale. Then, both have to be traveled to get to Hag's End for the word wall and the Dark Brotherhood armor.

Can't you fast travel to the Vale?