In reply to Greenbanks:
I commute on a tow path but it is gravel and well made, others can be rather wet and muddy. What your's is like my dictate what tyres you get, but probably not what bike you need.
I for years used a 'sports hybrid' (no suspension), it was great and had great brakes, but I then got a Boardman cyclocross bike. Even though the brakes weren't as good, having drop bars just suited me better and got me to work a bit better. I did many thousands of kms on that over 6 or 7 years and then last summer went for a Boardman gravel bike (ADV 8.9), and am very happy with that too. It has survived a winter of commuting once or twice a week, more since the weather has improved and I've done long rides on it too.
On sale the ADV 8.8 will be in your price range, very similar to mine but slightly lower spec components, and getting glowing reviews. All-round drop bar bikes, say, 8 years ago were called entry-level cyclocross bikes. Now they are called gravel bikes or adventure bikes, and they've let cyclocross bikes go back to being pure cyclocross bikes for weirdos who spend their winter saturday afternoons getting covered in mud and churning up a field! I'd definitely look at a cheaper gravel/adventure/all-road bike as they are perfect for commuting when you are mixing roads, cyclepaths, towpaths, bridleways and so on.