As you say Ian it’s complex....a lot of the modelling, such as the various FAA tools such as “CARI”, look only at cosmic rays and as you rightly say as the Sun becomes more active around Solar Max the cosmic ray count reduces..so in the surface that sounds (and is good thing)
However problem then is that around Solar Max you are at increased risk at getting a real short term spike in radiation from a solar particle event....
Avoid high altitudes at high geo-magnetic latitudes (roughly the Poles, northern Canada) is probably the way to handle it if it is something one is fussed about.