for those who aren't northern, a ginnel is a passageway betwen two buildings.
as I leave my house out the back door you then go through a ginnel to the main road. Every time I do this when it's raining my in head dialogue as I'm locking the back door goes:

Ah crap, it's raining (i then step in to the ginnel)
Oh good, the rains stopped (i then realise i'm in a ginnel)
d'oh.
( Ya What Skiddlyboop, Fri 22 Mar 2013, 13:09, 16 replies)

I prefer snicket

( Locus213 Slightly to the left of Bakunin, Fri 22 Mar 2013, 13:20, closed)

A Japanese gent was visiting and I overheard an elderly Lancashire lady directing the baffled guest to his hotel via "a snicket five minutes that way".
It doesn't seem very funny in the retelling but at the time I found this sniggerworthy.
( Pig Bodine., Fri 22 Mar 2013, 14:01, closed)

I use "twitting",
which is slightly more suburban than an alley. To my mind, alleys are brick along both sides; twittings are more likely to be fenced, and characteristically smell slightly of creosote.
( Enzyme is powered by sunlight, Fri 22 Mar 2013, 14:14, closed)

Twitten
'Round these paaaaarts, anyway
(moon monkey is busy making memories worth repressing, Fri 22 Mar 2013, 17:19, closed)

Twitchell
(Nicholas)
(ChaRleyTroniC is invincible with his chips and cheese, Fri 22 Mar 2013, 23:36, closed)

My friend used to call this part of the journey home from the pub
"the ricochet up the snicket".
(sp00nfed, Fri 22 Mar 2013, 18:46, closed)

any excuse to talk about your back passage!

( Smash Monkey lowering the tone of the whole internet, Fri 22 Mar 2013, 13:53, closed)

it was proper windy last night up my back passage
had to go out and see to it three times.
( Ya What Skiddlyboop, Fri 22 Mar 2013, 14:04, closed)

You massive bellend.

( Dr. Shambolic je suis charlie, Fri 22 Mar 2013, 14:21, closed)

you sweet talker you

( Ya What Skiddlyboop, Fri 22 Mar 2013, 15:31, closed)

Quick knee-trembler up the ginnel by the bins?

( Dr. Shambolic je suis charlie, Fri 22 Mar 2013, 18:09, closed)

Ginnel
round these parts (Leicestershire) a ginnell is jitty. So that sounds even more oo er mrs..
(Beer Elf Thought this was like a campfire, anyhow, on, Sat 23 Mar 2013, 18:45, closed)

i knew i should've actually replied
74mins I waited behind them bins...
( Ya What Skiddlyboop, Mon 25 Mar 2013, 9:09, closed)

Snickleways

(dozers, do fuck off ur a nob m8, Fri 22 Mar 2013, 20:35, closed)

Oh god I hope this is a real thing that you really say to real people in the real world.
I'd totally enjoy losing whatever respect I might have had for you. If I had any. Which I didn't.
( Dr. Shambolic je suis charlie, Fri 22 Mar 2013, 22:25, closed)

Alright Doc Ess?
I live in York, and 'Snickleways' are the names for what would be called 'Closes' in Edinburgh. I call them 'alleys' in everyday speech, but the local word is indeed 'snickleway'.
(dozers, do fuck off ur a nob m8, Sat 23 Mar 2013, 19:01, closed)