Been really enjoying the game but I'm starting to really struggle with the difficulty level. I'm currently level 8, I've met Archie, had a ride with the ferryman and am currently on the way to meet Archie and the Ferryman at the fishing docks. A few of my recent encounters:-

Investigated Tower Bridge which went ok but, on the other side, I found myself sandwiched between a bunch of scavengers and a postbox - got my butt handed to me by whichever I chose to face.
Heard a distress call from a young girl, went to investigate and got attacked by a legendary womble which kills me in a single hit (though I did laugh like a drain - why isn't this thing wearing tartan?)
Found the German UBoat and escort Otto to find a language module. Find myself in a building full of protectrons which kill me in seconds.

I'm ok with a moderately steep difficulty curve but just lately it feels like I've shot way off the end of it. My game's been reduced to sneaking, running away, not investigate ANYTHING except the main quest and save scumming just to make any progress at all.

I've seen some posts from others saying the difficulty's high but I'm headed rapidly into the unplayable so it's probably something I'm getting wrong. I've cured one of my starting afflictions but not both. I don't believe I picked up the bugged beermat but I'm not 100% sure how to check (doesn't appear in my inventory). I haven't min/maxed my build but I don't feel like it's unfeasible with a concentration on close combat. Is there anything else I might be getting wrong?

I'm playing on survival and when i first went to find Archie i was close to level 60.

Now i'm level 68.

And that's without using VATS, companions or drugs (Puritan trait).

And again as most of the people if not all i'm playing blind (no guides).

The game is too easy. Maybe except the beginning when i had to run from everything.

You want to level fast? Level through crafting. You don't know how? Not my problem.

A tip. That submarine. After the quest is done kill those 2 ghouls. One has the best weapon (9mm legendary pistol) that i was able to find so far (better than the 2 shot 9mm legendary pistol that was a random drop).

Yeah If you play this game without cheesing the level up system by crafting your way up the game is gonna be really hard. I'm inside the British Museum right now on level 11, but I learned where some high damage weapons were located due to me playing through a game breaking bug (The disappearing train bug) so when I went through the 2nd time I went off the beaten path, and went down the river before going to see the sewer people. In fact I went to the other bridge (not the London bridge) to establish quick trip markers, and to level up the hard (yet fun for me) way.

After that I continued the proper story path until I crossed the river proper, and now back to wondering alone again (naturally). I choose to play it this way just for the added difficulty/challenge. Mind you though you will die A LOT, and in quick manner too..... or you can just cheese the level up system by being a busy little bee crafting like there is no tomorrow. Mind you until you are level 60, or you finish getting healed not just visiting the first doctor you come across your just gonna have to struggle. BTW I visited the one near the museum first (at level 7) before going into the sewer.

So it sounds like I've just got ahead of myself on the main quest line and need to spend some time levelling up?

I haven't cheesed the crafting system as I find it a bit boring, TBH, but I guess investing half an hour or so shouldn't be too much of a chore,

I think it is very unfortunate that the developers decided to let you out in the world with 2 penalties, one even being a severe penalty, as you receive a blazin' 30% more damage. I don't know what the reason for this gameplay decision was, but, it's very bad, as, especially earlier in the game, you will struggle with the little armor protection you have. Late, when you have enough protection and firepower, and you get rid of the Lab Rat perk, it won't even matter anymore, which is weird. It should be the other way around.

That said, it can all be done. I'm playing on Hard difficulty, and I'm level 27 now, and, there's good armor protection and also lots of ammo now. Just fight yourself through, you can do it. ;)

It doesn't sound like you're doing too bad, you just seem to have taken a couple of wrong turns.

The legendary Womble, it's not you, it's just cheap game design, not because the players sticking to the main quest will get the prompt to go there while under leveled but because there's no way to use terrain or geometry for tactical advantage, so you have to counter the cheap game design with some cheap gameplay, just pop some Hero's, Hyp-O's and whatever else you got and bob's your uncle.

The Tower Bridge, i didn't encounter any opposition at the far end. Out of the bridge i stuck to the main road for a bit and as soon as i could i hugged the railings by the water and kept going until the Ferryman's Dockhouse. I followed the main quest from there till i did the Sanctuay quest and it was all smooth sailing,.

Haven't been to the Uboat yet so no idea of what goes on there.

I played on Normal (default) difficulty, just because I had not clue what I am diving into, so why increasing difficulty.
While some fights felt okayish, often it was the environment that killed me (like when I ventured into the red dotted tunnel cough area, and my HP started dropping to 0 with breathtaking speed)

Or I spoke to a nice farmer, who was a bit bloody and weird, but then he turns out to be super strong maniac who loves killing...

mutated horses and other animals are easy prey.
Most ghouls are manageable, unless they are legendary.

But I still had no urge to increase the difficulty - foremost due the game dropping to OS, so quicksave is a must.

So, sure, some fights were not truly challenging, but others I survived with pure luck and like 2% of HP.

Especially combats, where are 5+ enemies, and at least one is legendary, and if you don't focus on him, and waste your precious bullets or hits on the normies, he will make you pay dreadly. Not to mention, that when I start taking down stronger enemy, it might mutate.
And again, the environment is not helping - often, I have nowhere to run or hide or regroup for better aiming.

Doggo helps a lot, even without the grappling traits, many enemies target doggo and I have extra time to make bullets rain over their sorry heads.
But for some reason I like to travel alone (companions triggers most traps and trigger combats and I don't like that)

Often I am out of ammo for long range rifles, and hitting even mediocre enemies, who somehow can shoot me with makeshift low-end pistols from huge distance, is also something that is not making the game easier.

Overall, I don't think anyone should be alarmed, if she/he reloads more often than anticipated.

I highly recommend to do a stealthy character. It won't help you that much with lower skill levels, but, on higher stealth and agility levels, it is very helpful, and you will save a lot of ammo and, especially, don't have all enemies pile up on you simultaneously.

Plus it's the most fun anyway. ;)

"I don't know what the reason for this gameplay decision was," My guess is that it railroads (ahem "strongly encourages") you along the main quest line early on. I GM RPGs a lot and players just ignoring the main plot can be a real headache. It does feel like a bit of a hammer to crack a nut in this case though.

"The Tower Bridge, i didn't encounter any opposition at the far end." I tried hugging the bank initially and got attacked by the post box from hell. It was actually pretty funny but also an absolute unit which kicked my ass black and blue. After that I tried heading in land by one street to go around and that's where I ran into the scavengers (they weren't called scavengers but it was something like that). Individually they weren't to bad but the group size was overwhelming. After that I tried going back across Tower Bridge and heading up the west bank but that's where I ran into the sub, got frustrated on the side quest and posted here. It's possible I could have just ignored the side quest and got their that way.

"So, sure, some fights were not truly challenging, but others I survived with pure luck and like 2% of HP." Yeah, that pretty much sums up my experience. I think Bethesda did a really good job of managing the difficulty across different areas in 3 and 4. That may be a bit of a weak spot for Folon but I don't want to hold it against them - with a piece of work this well put together I'll forgive them a wrinkle or two.

"Doggo helps a lot" Awwwwwww, yes!