Yorkshire and the Lake District by car -- 2 weeks June 9-23

Either Hexham or Haltwhistle would be fine as an overnight on 9/6. They are both good places to explore Hadrian's Wall from if that is of interest. Hexham is the bigger town.
Your plan seems to be loaded more towards Yorkshire than the Lake District. Fine if that's what you want but most would probably allocate a bit more time to the Lakes.

Haltwhistle is smaller than Hexahm but much closer to Hadrian's Wall. Try the Old School House in Haltwhislte for B&B. It consistently gets good reviews on Trip Advisor.

Kirkbymoorside is a good central location for the North York Moors. They aren't that big and it is a good central location for day trips in all directions. It makes sense to spend two nights in one place rather than two one nighters in different areas.

Do a day trip through Pickering (nice small market town with ruined castle and church with medieval wall paintings. Russels bakers and cafe on High Street is recommended to go and buy a picnic lunch) .) Then head across the moors (superb drive) via Gothland to Whitby. Climb the 199 steps to the ruined abbey. Have fish and chips... Make this a circular drive by coming back through Rosedale Abbey and Hutton le Hole (attractive small village with a stream running down through the centre) .

Next day drive towards Helmsley doing a slight detour a few miles west of Kirkbymoorside to visit the tiny St Gregory's Minster complete with 1000 year old sundial. Then head to Helmsely (another attractive town with stream, good selection of shops and ruined castle. If you like walking, there is a lovely walk from Helmsley to Rievaulx Abbey.]4 Then drive up the hill for the Rievaulx Terraces with their views down onto the abbey. Then continue a drive north towards Stokelsey tgen east through Easaby to Castletonand then south back to KirkbyMoorside.

Alternatively, if you like social history, Ryedale Folk Museum in Hutton the Hole is worth visiting. Old buildings have been moved and rebuilt here. There are old farmhouses as well as shops and small industries (blacksmith, tinsmith, saddler, Photographer...) You could easily spend half a day here. Link it up with Helmesley and Rievaulx Abbey.

Yorkshire Dales - If you aren't having any luck with the Skipton/Malham areas then have a look at Settle/Giggleswick or possibly Hawes instead. Suggestions will rather depend on where you stay. They are a larger area.

Don't know why you would have one day Edinburgh and two in Glasgow - I would go the other way round or three in Edinburgh

I would try to add in Hadrian's Wall - the ruins of Housesteads are superb and there are numerous great locations

Malham is very popular - but for very good reason. Stay in Giggleswick (Hart's Head would be my choice) and then go in to Malham for the day

For your overnight on 9 June maybe try Corbridge as well. I'm not sure if you are planning a quick visit to Hadrian's Wall overnight. Otherwise may be a bit further south still like Alston or Allendale Town/Allenheads.
Then you could go to the North Yorkshire Moors via the A689 past Nenthead and the Killhope Wheel, or the B6277 via Middleton In Teesdale, Barnard Castle and the Bowes Museum.
For North Yorkshire you could try Wensleydale (Hawes/Aysgarth) or Swaledale (Muker/Gunnerside area) both of which are a a short drive from Appleby via Kirkby Stephen on the B6259 or B6270 respectively.
You could even drop down to Grassington from Wensleydale on the B6160 via Kettlewell or from Hawes on the B6255 via Ribblehead to Settle.
Then you could come back from Hawes etc to the Lake District via the A684-Garsdale and Sedbergh then Kendal and into the Lake District from the south.

Thank you for these replies and suggestions.

To address a couple of questions that have been raised:

1) I will be spending time in the Lake District when I meet my friends June 13/14/15, so that is why I am looking for suggestions for NYMNP on the days prior, and YDNP on the days after. And then "explore the Lake District" really means drive to parts that I haven't seen before because I've never had a car.

2) Regarding Glasgow: one night in Edinburgh and two in Glasgow because I've been to Edinburgh on prior occasions, and I hope to do a day rail trip from Glasgow on day 3 if the weather cooperates. On day 2 I can dawdle in Edinburgh and head to Glasgow in the evening if I wish more time in Edinburgh. And accommodation is significantly less expensive in Glasgow!

Again, thank you for the suggestions. I hope by the end of day to have rooms for the Friday and Saturday nights set -- that's the challenge putting together a trip at the last minute!

I've not got huge experience with Yorkshire but just spent 3 nights at Aysgarth Falls Hotel and Restaurant. It's newly refurb'd and my room was awesome. The family that runs the inn is very nice and food was good in the restaurant. There was plenty of parking in the lots as well. I was on a small group tour in a van and from this base we went to Yockenthwaite one day, Bowes Museum and Barnard Castle the next day. We stopped at picked up Birdoswald Roman Fort and Lanercost Priory on the way to 3 overnights at Hexham.

Are you an All Creatures Great and Small fan? The new version? Yockenthwaite is the location of Helen Alderson's family farm. We did a walk on the public pathway along the river from there and had lunch on a stone circle - not a sacred circle but the foundation of a Bronze Age hut. Up behind "Helen's", a person had out an honesty box filled with cakes and scones...yum! The bridge James drives over to get to the house is actually the bridge there as well.

Don’t be apologetic about spending time in Glasgow. I think it’s a fine and much underrated city which tends to get lost in the promotion of Edinburgh (also great of course).

By the way you are just missing the peak of the Appleby Horse Fair-presumably intentional. You will just catch the very end of it, when the horses and gipsys are still there, but nothing very much actually happening.

I just realised that when checking the Mid Eden Memo for a much postponed visit which I need to do to Skirwith on 13 June- postponed 7 or 8 times due to adverse weather every 2nd Tuesday of the month since last Autumn.

It sounds as if you know exactly what you want to do in the Lake District, and your friends will assist you with anything else you want there, so you don't need any input from me on that part of your itinerary.

Actually, isn31c, suggestions about scenic drives in the Lake District -- possibly in conjunction with a 2-3 hour walk -- would be most welcome! I've "done" Ambleside and the environs by train and bus, as well as spent time around Windemere a few years ago, but I've never been to Buttermere, Keswick, Millbeck, ... Nor have I been to Whitbeck, Corney, Ravenglass...

I don't know what my friends have planned for our three days based out of Appleby. They've only said vaguely "Lake District walks." And they are Canadians who haven't spent a lot of time in the area (they've rented a cottage for a month), so I don't know how knowledgeable they are.

Thank you!

Could you stretch your 2nd Lake District visit to 3 nights to drive back to GLA on 22 June - it will take you 3 hours tops to drive to Glasgow airport. For me it's a straight hour to Carlisle, then the 2nd hour to Abingdon services and hour 3 gets me right across Glasgow to the Clyde coast.
You see there are really two full days in this.
I would suggest staying somewhere in the Hawkshead/Coniston area with this kind of wish list.
I am a teeny bit intrigued about Whitbeck and Corney. Corney is a layby, a very few properties and a Church. The only reason you would go there.
From Coniston the question would be how good are your driving skills on tiny, steep roads? The easy route to the coast is down Coniston water through Torver staying on the A roads. The only reason to visit Whitbeck would be the wonderful walk up Black Combe which is more like 3 to 4 hours circular walk. Corney is no more than a collection of farms in tiny lanes. The remote Church is in a wonderfully scenic spot. Corney is better known for the Fell road round the back of Black Combe- this is a scenic but narrow road where you need your wits about you for other traffic and wandering sheep. On the way up the coast you can take the turn off to the wonderfully sited, very quaint Waberthwaite Church. Ravenglass is where you want to be- there is a nice coastal walk you can do to the Roman ruins and round to Muncaster Castle (you can also do that from the Castle itself). From Ravenglass itself you can take the narrow gauge steam train up Eskdale. Or drive the valley stopping off at Eskdale Village for Giggle Alley Japanese garden. From the head of the valley at Boot there are any number of walks of all grades you can do. Now is the big drive. From Eskdale you go over the Hardknott Pass (with more Roman ruins) and then the Wrynose Pass to Langdale. This is a drive you will not forget, BUT these are two of the steepest and bendiest roads in the UK topping out at 25% (1 in 4 gradients, even a bit steeper). An automatic will really help you here.

I will look at Buttermere and Keswick tomorrow.
To be honest I was hoping your friends would concentrate more on The Eden Valley and the East Fellside while you were over there on the 1st visit. Now I am wondering.....

Buttermere- from Coniston straight up the A591 for Keswick.
Although you can drive straight down the B5289 Borrowdale road I would head for Portinscale then take the much nicer road on the west side of Derwentwater (another narrow single track road with passing places) then continue up Borrowdale. At Rosthwaite visit the Flock In Tea Room at Yew Tree Farm- this farm was one of (the now) King Charles' favourite farms. Some really great local farm produce and actually a great place to stay as well.
Then at the head of the valley continue up Honister Pass- while still a mountain road this is nothing like as challenging as yesterday's passes. Stop over at Honister Slate Mine at the top of the pass- a working mine. If you are up for the challenge try the Via Ferrata there, but lots of tamer things to do as well. Down the other side of the pass brings you to Buttermere- a wonderful farm ice cream parlour here.
Lots of walks here - either up one of the surrounding mountains, or around either of the lakes (Buttermere or Crummock Water) ,up to the waterfall at Scale Force, or up Sour Milk Gill to Bleaberry Tarn. You are totally spoilt for choice. After you have finished at Buttermere continue along the side of Crummock Water. At Lorton turn onto the B5292- the Whinlatter Pass. This is a good road and a tame pass. Part way along you come to Whinlatter Forest Park- lots of activities here. The pass brings you down to the village of Braithwaite.
Depending how much time you have used at your various stops during the day, you may want to just turn towards Keswick for home.
But I hope you will have enough time to turn left on the A66 along Bassenthwaite Lake. At the end of the lake is a wondeful cafe in the rail cars used in the Orient Express movie remake at a restored station. Turn off here and follow the B5291 the short distance to the Lakes Distillery (Gin and Whisky- does tours) and Llama Farm. Continue over the Ouse Bridge to the Castle Inn junction. Turn right here. About 5 miles down the road you can park at Dodd Wood for walks and the Ospreys, or a walk through the grounds of Mirehouse (Stately home) to the ancient St Bega's Church in it's wonderful lakeside setting.
Back on the road- another two miles on, just before the Lyzzick Hall Hotel, take the left fork in the road. This is a narrow road which will take you up to Millbeck and Applethwaite. Millbeck is one of many start points to walk up Skiddaw (another day) or a much tamer woodland walk around or up to Latrigg.
This road continues on to a roundabout where you pick up the main A66 highway again.

Really and honestly this is at least two wonderful day trips rolled into one big trip.

Places for accommodation (other than Whitby) on the East Cost (NYM) - Staithes, Runswick Bay, Robin Hoods Bay. More into the moorland Glaisdale, Rosedale Abbey, Egton Bridge, Grosmont, Goathland. Literally on the moors, if you can get in, The White Lion at Blakey Topping/Ridge is not to be missed. Nothing else near it, but what a spot!

Moving into the Dales, specifically Wharfedale, Grassington, Conistone, Kettlewell, Buckden. At the head of Nidderdale the Crown at Middlesmoor is great (there’s another Crown a mile further down at Lofthouse, don’t confuse the two. Like I did!).

Betwixt Dales and Moors there’s Masham, lovely little town with huge central square - we recently stayed at the Kings Head which was excellent and on the square.

Brevity being the soul of wit here as I have to rush for a train to a plane myself. Hope you have a great trip!

Ian

One thing you really shouldn't miss if you are in West Cumbria with a car is a visit to Richard Woodall's farm shop at Waberthwaite.
They hold a royal warrant as Cumberland Sausage makers to the Royal Family, but are a real old fashioned butchers.
If visiting check their website and socials as they are a family business, so do have un-planned closures.
But these are sausages, bacon and other meats like you won't often have tasted.

Also, a bit further up the coast, look into the Gosforth Bakery- for really good pies, take out afternoon teas, and all sorts of other bakery products. These are real pies, as far from mass produced supermarket products as you can get.