Agree with you re Windermere and Bowness, although a good base to explore from and nice towns in their own right, they are real honeypots, particularly in the summer and bank holidays.
The Grange,Ulverston and Cartmel areas in the South Lakes shouldnt be ruled out and I like that part of the Lakes very much. You are close enough to Winderemere etc...The other area I spent a lot of time as a kid (as we had family there) was Keswick although we rarely stayed in hotels, stayed at the family house. Plenty to do there, again quite busy in peak times