Chooses towpaths regularly (4)
I believe the answer is:
opts
'chooses' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'towpaths regularly' is the wordplay.
'regularly' means one should take alternating letters (regularly take one letter, leave next etc.).
The alternate letters of 'towpaths' are 'OPTS'.
(Other definitions for opts that I've seen before include "Elects" , "Chooses from a range of possibilities" , "Picks needed" , "Selects between alternatives" , "Selects as an alternative" .)