Salatiga Off The Beaten Path

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Another small temple, just near Salatiga. It does not look impressive, but intriguing: an enormous base compared to the temple body itself.

On the base one finds foundation stones with holes in it, which must have supported wooden poles. Usually these held up a roof, but can there have been a roof over the temple?? The temple is devoid of sculpture and the stairheads look like they have been left unfinished. But that may be the result of the restauration in 2007.

Candi Klero is thought to be a Buddhist temple older than the Borobudur. It is in use by the Buddhist community until this day, as is evident from the offerings on the yoni inside the temple. People come to pray on the Javanese days Selasa Kliwon and Jumat Kliwon, and in big numbers for the yearly Waisak celebration.

The yard of the temple also contains an ancient lumpang dan palu (rice pounding tools) of andesit. That is why the local people also refer to the temple as Mbah Lumpang Kentheng.

Directions:
From Salatiga take the main Solo road for 8 km until Klero village. At Klero, look out for the red factory sign at the right hand side of the road "Kawasan Berikat PT Nesia Pan Pacific Knit". On the other side of the road is a narrow road through a porch "Ngentak Klero". Take this road for about 300 m, then you see Klero Temple on your right hand.

Country walk:
If you think it not worth while to go out of your way to visit Candi Klero, consider combining your visit with a country walk. Proceed on the "Ngentak Klero" road to Poncol hamlet. There take the steep (and when wet slippery) footpath down to Ketanggi river, you find the footpath next to the guard post. Walk down the stairs of the dam in the river, follow the river bank until you are forced to climb out of the valley to the road again. Proceed on the road until it becomes a footpath. The footpath eventually takes you down to the river again. Wade through the river, climb up the bank where you reach an irrigation ditch. Walk to the left along the ditch until a bridge. Take the road from the bridge leading up to the main road and walk north along the road until you reach the "Ngentak Klero" porch. Distance about 4 km for a good hour's walk.

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Seen on the western slope of Telemoyo mountain. A big rock had slid down from the roadside and blocked the entrance to Mulungan hamlet (see Scenic drive around Telemoyo mountain, km 31.1).

Two men were taking turns in trying to break the rock up using only a sledge hammer. We do not know how long it took them, but when we passed by days later the rock had disappeared.

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Heavy through traffic is a nuisance in Salatiga. Buses and trucks from Semarang to Yogya, Solo and farther east all go through the town.

In the early nineties construction was started on a 13 km bypass west of town. The ringroad was to connect Tapen on the nortern border of town with the bus terminal in the south. However due to the Asian financial crisis in 1997 work came to a standstill after only 1.5 km and one bridge were finished.

Recently construction has been taken up again. But the road may still require years to be finished. There are several locations where a bridge has to be built, no trace of construction there yet. Some dozen houses had to be demolished, the inhabitants moved; these people are still waiting for their compensation.

There are also plans for a toll-road all the way from Semarang to Solo, that will pass by Salatiga on the east. Some work on this road also has been begun.

Hopefully when you come to Salatiga five years or so from now, traffic in town will be much quieter. If you don't count the numerous motorbikes, of course!

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We found it on a 1937 Dutch map, complete with the mountain path leading to it: Natuurmonument Sepakoeng. Pleasant surprise, it has been maintained in crowded Central Java. A small board CA Sepakung (Cagar Alam Sepakung) and a few border poles indicate the Reserve. It is practically untouched although the surrounding forest has been put to use by the local people; coffee shrubs have been planted right to the border of the Reserve.
It is only a 40 minutes drive and one hour walk from Salatiga. The path, which connects the east and west sides of Telemoyo mountain, is one of the most interesting we have walked and not too difficult. If you go it all the way it is about six km with a difference of elevation from 1250 m to 1400 m. But you have to get back the way you came, four hours in all.

Directions: From Salatiga take the Kopeng road, and the turn right to Kali Pancur waterfall. At Nogosaren hamlet take the road uphill to Srandil hamlet. Follow the mountain road (most of it recently resurfaced) to just past Srandil village. Here begins a rock paved path up the mountain, which changes into an earth path after one km.

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Who said the Javanese are lazy?
Do the walk from Pagergedog village to Sepakung Nature Reserve on Telemoyo mountain (see Scenic drive around Telemoyo mountain) and you will meet them on their daily business: tending vergetable gardens, carrying fodder for their cows and carrying logs to sell.
The logs are cut from pine trees and weigh 100 kg to over 200 kg. They carry them almost 1 km on a narrow, sometimes slippery mountain path to the point where a truck can come to pick them up. We hikers are anxious not to lose our footing and fall into the ravine, yet these villagers are surefooted with their incredible load. The smaller logs are carried by two men, the heavier ones by four. There is scarce room on the path for four men with a log!

Directions: See the Scenic Drive Tip, km 21.5.

One of the unique places to view streches of mountains - from the volcanic Mt. Merapi, Mt. Merbabu, and Mt. Telomoyo complete with glimpse of Rawa Pening lake is actually to go to this "chinese cemetary". Located near Kemiri, about 4km towards Semarang.

Simply climb to the highest hills around and be awed.

There is a hang gliding club who gathers quite frequently on top of Mt Telomoyo (1900m). A rudimentary launching pad has been built there. Landing zone is around Muncul (Banyubiru) area, overlooking vast paddy fields. Best experience is during the dry season.

As this is a non-formal club don't expect insurance etc. simply go to Muncul, about 7km from Salatiga and look for Dr. Agung who is an avvid member. His clinic is in front of "Java" mineral water factory which is beside the swimming pool.