article_snippet.sent: Dr Gordon Noble, an archaeologist at Aberdeen University who led the excavation, said the site was so remote the site could only be accessed by climbing up the cliff face with ropes.
article_snippet.sent: It was pretty hairy climb to get up there and at high tide it is completely cut off.
article_snippet.sent: When Dr Noble and his team from the Northern Picts project conducted a five day excavation on the top of the site, youths uncovered the remains of what appears to be a rampart wall.
article_snippet.sent: In order to reach the site, his team from the Northern Picts project had to employ the services of professional rock climber Duncan Patterson, who climbed up the sea stack and put ropes in place.
article_snippet.sent: the sea stack is only accessible at low tide and still requires a rock climb up the cliff face to reach the summit .
article_snippet.sent: As for access, it is possible an easier route was present on the landward side and has now eroded, but certainly a timber access of some kind is well within the landward side capabilities.
article_snippet.sent: Archaeologists had to set up ropes to reach The Dunnicaer sea stack after a professional climber scaled the rock face .
highlights_snippet.sent: Archaeologists needed to use ropes to reach the summit for the excavation .
  