The combination of cathodoluminescence (CL) analysis, temperature and temperature-time calculations, and microstructural numerical modelling offers the possibility to derive the time-resolved evolution of a metamorphic rock. This combination of techniques is applied to a natural laboratory, namely the Ballachulish contact aureole, Scotland. Analysis of the Appin Quartzite reveals that the aureole was produced by two distinct magmatic events and infiltrated by associated fluids. Developing microstructures allow us to divide the aureole into three distinct regions. Region A (0-400 m, 663A degrees C < T (max) < 714A degrees C) exhibits a three-stage grain boundary migration (GBM) evolution associated with heating, fluid I and fluid II. GBM in region B (400-700 m, 630A degrees C < T (max) < 663A degrees C) is associated with fluid II only. Region C (> 700 m of contact, T (max) < 630A degrees C) is characterised by healed intragranular cracks. The combination of CL signature analysis and numerical modelling enables us to recognise whether grain size increase occurred mainly by surface energy-driven grain growth (GG) or strain-induced grain boundary migration (SIGBM). GG and SIGBM result in either straight bands strongly associated with present-day boundaries or highly curved irregular bands that often fill entire grains, respectively. At a temperature of similar to 620A degrees C, evidence for GBM is observed in the initially dry, largely undeformed quartzite samples. At this temperature, evidence for GG is sparse, whereas at similar to 663A degrees C, CL signatures typical for GG are commonplace. The grain boundary network approached energy equilibrium in samples that were at least 5 ka above 620A degrees C.